Budapest 2024 leaders applaud historic agreements of Europe's Sport Ministers, boosting ethical sport

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3/4 December 2016

14th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Sport meet in Budapest to sign landmark agreements

Budapest 2024 leaders, Chairman Balázs Fürjes, and Vice-Chairman Gusztáv Bienerth, attended an event at the Hungarian Parliament this week, along with European Sport Ministers from over 40 countries.

Ministers from around Europe have come together in the Hungarian capital this week to forge important resolutions aimed at keeping sport clean. The three main priorities on the ministers’ agenda are match-fixing, hooliganism and the fight against doping.

"We are immensely proud that Budapest has facilitated this conference," said Chairman of Budapest 2024, Balázs Fürjes. "The Council of Europe is setting an example for the international community and, at Budapest 2024, we are diehard supporters of initiatives that make sport more transparent, dispel hostility, root out doping cheats and reward clean athletes."

The President of Budapest 2024, Pál Schmitt - former President of Hungary, double Olympic fencing champion and International Olympic Committee member - was also at the event. "Human achievement in sport is something to be marvelled at," he said. "The agreements signed this week show Europe’s representatives at the very highest level standing up and saying ‘no more’ to those who seek to taint that marvel."

As a result of their discussions, the ministers signed a Council of Europe agreement aimed at combatting the manipulation of sport competition, and a second agreement aimed at curbing hooliganism, particularly at football matches. The Council of Europe also signed a cooperation agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency in order to expedite international action against performance-enhancing drugs.

Signing the agreements on behalf of Hungary, Tünde Szabó, Hungary’s Secretary of State for Sports and four-time Olympic silver medallist, said: "This consultation has involved over 240 sports leaders of more than 40 countries, addressing three crucial themes – ending doping in sport, eliminating match-fixing and creating effective sport leadership. Sport has a huge effect on business and society and so it’s our responsibility to lead the way with effective policy and action."

Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, the Council of Europe Deputy Secretary-General, said that with the signing of these accords, an important step has been taken towards ending corruption in sport.

Hungary announced this morning that a new testing facility specialising in performance-enhancing drugs will be completed next year. Zoltán Balog, Minister of Human Resources for Hungary, said, "This facility is being built to support our sports community and protect clean athletes. Operations should commence within six months."

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For more information, please contact Ivan.Rozsa@budapest2024.org

- This year’s Sportcal listings recognise Budapest as the rising star of major global sport events, ranking the city seventh among the top global sport cities and second in the Future Sports Cities Index 2017-2023. Named as European Capital of Sport 2019, Budapest is a high-value city, with an excellent transport infrastructure and a long-term sustainable development plan. The Budapest 2024 Olympic Bid proposes a compact and intimate Games footprint in the capital, and a truly nationwide Games that features sport in six other Olympic cities. Budapest 2024 is dedicated to deliver an on-budget and inclusive Olympic and Paralympic Games in one of the top 20 most peaceful countries in the world. Sports-mad Hungary was one of the founding members of the IOC and has participated in the Games since 1896. Hungary is the only country ranked in the top ten of the all-time Olympic Medal table that has not yet hosted the Olympic Games.

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