Budapest drops 2024 Games bid

BUDAPEST, Hungary: Budapest on Wednesday became the latest city to drop out of the race to host the 2024 Olympic Games, after a petition garnered enough signatures to force a referendum on their bid.

“As the necessary unity in Budapest has been lost, the bid has lost all of its chances,” the government of right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced in a statement posted on its website.

“That is why the government of Hungary proposes to withdraw the candidacy from the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Budapest.”

The Hungarian capital’s withdrawal leaves the battle to stage the 2024 Games between Paris and Los Angeles.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is due to reveal the winner on September 13.

Hamburg — following a referendum — and Rome had already pull out of the contest to succeed 2020 hosts Tyokyo, both citing financial concerns.

Budapest’s decision was announced after the sports-mad premier, a big champion of the bid, held a meeting with Budapest mayor Istvan Tarlos on Wednesday evening.

“Budapest will formally ask the city council to withdraw Hungary’s candidacy in agreement with the government,” Tarlos was quoted as saying by the MTI news agency. Hungary’s bid was dealt a fatal blow after a group of young activists collected over a quarter million signatures of Budapesters within a month to hold a referendum.