Budapest 2024 Launches Olympic Bid Logo

(ATR) Bid chairman Balázs Fürjes tells Around the Rings the Hungarian campaign is gaining momentum after the launch of its emblem.

"I think we are presenting a strong case. The finish line is quite far away and I think we are where we planned to be," he told ATR Thursday, denying that the bid is lagging behind its rivals Los Angeles, Paris and Rome.

"We are confident that we can perform well in this competition."

"The basic ingredients are fantastic," Fürjes said, adding that it was "worth doing things differently [from the other bids]", who revealed their logos and branding much sooner in the two-year bidding contest.

"Everything is done as planned. We were concentrating on having the best Games plan and solutions to provide a fantastic athlete and spectator experience, a top priority," Fürjes said.

The bid chief noted that the international campaign doesn’t begin until February 2017: "We didn’t lose any time."

The logo was selected from 200 designs worked on by around 1000 young designers in a lengthy logo competition.

Hungarian IOC member Pal Schmitt, mayor of Budapest István Tarlós and NOC president Zsolt Borkai were among the dignatories at the logo ceremony on the banks of the Danube river. A host of Hungarian Olympians and Paralympians were also present. The bid’s official website and social media channels will be launched later today.

"I think it will be a good tool to get Hungarian people behind the bid," he said. "The selected logo expresses what we believe we are… bringing new vitality, bringing new dynamism and some fun, a fresh approach."

At its centre is the emblem of the Freedom Statue, "with the fresh, fortifying waters of the Danube at its feet, surrounded by the celebratory warmth and openness of the Hungarian personality," according to the official bid statement.

Fürjes said the new emblem andbranding would help lift public support, which currently stands at 60 percent according to the latest poll.

"I think the city is dynamically behind the bid," he said."I think we should get higher than 70 percent. We just need to engage people and communicate," he said.

Budapest 2024’s public engagement campaign begins in May. Bid leaders aim to create a "social dialogue" about the Games concept and Olympic legacy plans, while seeking ideas from city residents."

Today was billed as the official launch of the bid, although the 2024 contest began last autumn.It was timed to coincide with Hungary’s celebrations this week marking its part in the founding of the modern Olympics 120 years ago. Hungary’s first Olympic gold medal came at the 1896 Olympics.

A program of citywide sports activities took place on Thursday following the logo unveiling at which Budapest bid chiefs and sports figures made speeches.

Mayor Tarlós spoke of the improvements that hosting the Olympics would bring to the city, rewarding Budapest with valuable legacy assets. He said they would include enhancing urban and sport infrastructure, accelerating development projects, revitalising the economy, encouraging healthy sporting lifestyles, and guaranteeing the long-term growth of Budapest.

Hungarian NOC chief Borkai said that a successful Olympic bid would spur on a seven-year promotion of sports at a grass roots level that would keep Budapest at the forefront of the world’s sporting nations.

In his address, Fürjes said the ambitious plans of the city can be brought to life with teamwork, conviction, trust and hard work. He described Budapest 2024 as a reliable and risk-free partner for the IOC and alignment with president Thomas Bach’s reforms.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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