The City Of Budapest announced on Wednesday that it would withdraw its bid to host the Olympic Games in 2024. The Olympic Committee will announce in September which, from Paris or Los Angeles, will host the competition.
Paris and Los Angeles are now competing for the Olympic Games in 2024. Budapest, the third city in contention, withdrew on Wednesday (February 22nd) its candidacy after a petition gathered enough signatures to trigger the organization of a referendum against the Hungarian candidacy.
Several political parties critical of the country's strongman Viktor Orban had supported the campaign.The Prime Minister has always supported this candidacy launched in 2015, in tribute to the Olympic history of the country: only nine countries have won more medals than Hungary in the history of the Games.
The Budapest candidacy was also supported by the mayor of the city with the approval of the City Council, the Hungarian Parliament, and the Orban government.
The Olympic Committee will give the name of the winner on 13 September.
Paris and Los Angeles favorites
Against the backdrop of the two heavyweights of Los Angeles, a substitute candidate after the withdrawal of Boston, and Paris, the cradle of modern Olympism but still hurt by two successive failures.
Budapest could suffer from its lack of experience in organizing world sports events and lack of infrastructure.
The Parisian record will be carried by a tandem composed of Bernard Lapasset, president of the International Rugby Federation, and Tony Estanguet, triple Olympic canoe champion and one of the two French IOC members with Guy Drut.
If some sites are still to be chosen, Paris-2024 has just retained Marseille to compete in the sailing events.
Los Angeles, already the host of the Games in 1932 and 1984, will be able to rely on many existing facilities, including the upgraded Coliseum.
Paris and Los Angeles are now fighting for the organization of the Summer Olympics in 2024. The International Olympic Committee will choose the organizing city on 13th September in Lima.