Budapest 2024 Establishes "Bid Guardians"

(ATR) Also; Los Angeles City Council reviews Olympic agreement

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(ATR) Budapest 2024 selects 23 people to join its official bid committee with former Hungarian president and IOC member Pal Schmitt at the helm.

The committee will be known as "The Guardians of the Olympic Bid" and was appointed by Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Laszlo Kover on Thursday.

"This marks a decisive step in Hungary’s bid to stage the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games," said Schmitt. "As ‘Guardians of the Bid’, it is our role to ensure that Budapest 2024 truly reflects our collective commitment to the values of Olympism."

Schmitt is joined on the committee by Hungarian Olympic Committee president Zsolt Borkai, Hungarian Paralympic Committee president Laszlo Szabo, bid chairman Balazs Furjes, Budapest Mayor Istvan Tarlos, International Weightlifting Federation president Tamas Ajan as well as national federation chiefs such as Tamas Gyarfas of swimming and Etele Barath of canoe. Olympians, Hungarian Parliament members and business executives round out the 23-member committee.

"The breadth of talent on the Committee is a true reflection of the support that we enjoy across the spectrum in Hungary and will be a great resource for us as we move forward into the Bid process," says Furjes.

The committee’s first task will be submitting the first round of deliverables to the IOC in February, following the revamped bidding schedule instituted with the Agenda 2020 reforms.

LA 2024 Clarifies City Council Role in Bidding Process

The Los Angeles City Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Los Angeles 2024 bid committee that defines the relationship between the two parties as the city bids for the 2024 Olympics.

The MOU further reinforces the bid committee’s plans to privately finance the candidature process and states the city will not contribute funds without approval by the City Council.

"I applaud the City Council's leadership today, approving the MOU, whichbrings us one step closer to returning the Olympic Games to our City,"said L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti. "Los Angeles is ready to serve andstrengthen the Olympic movement and build a new Olympic legacy."

"Togetherwe are ready to bring a historic third Olympic games to the City ofAngels," said L.A. City Council president Herb Wesson.

Leaders of the LA 2024 bid including bid chairman Casey Wasserman and L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti will meet regularly with the Council in the interests of transparency. Representatives of LA 2024 are also required to attend at least one community meeting in each Council district.

The agreement is set to protect city funds throughout the bidding procedure that closes in September 2017. If L.A. is not chosen as the host city the agreement will terminate on Dec. 15, 2017.

LA 2024 leaders say they don’t expect to ask the city for more funding during the candidature.

The MOU allows for the City Council to enlist the services of a budget analysis expert to review the revenue and expenditures of the LA 2024 bid and prepare a written report to be discussed by the City Council before a vote on the Host City Contract. The cost of the independent expert would be covered by the bid committee.

A spokesperson for City Council member Paul Krekorian tells Around the Rings the council "wants to make sure that the city and its taxpayers will be adequately protected, that the city will retain control over decision making on all issues affecting the city, and that the process will be as open and transparent as possible."

Los Angeles is competing with Budapest, Paris and Rome to host the 2024 Olympics. The IOC will choose the host of the Games in Lima, Peru in September 2017.

Written by KevinNutley

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