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Hungary, a landlocked central European country of 10 million
people, has never hosted the Olympics. Budapest's rivals to
stage the Games include Rome, Boston, Hamburg and Paris.
"We officially announce that in line with the unanimous
decisions of the General Assembly of Budapest as well as the
Hungarian Olympic Committee, with the support of the Hungarian
National Assembly and the Hungarian Government, Budapest bids to
host the XXXIII Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2024,"
the July 7-dated joint letter said.
Hungary, the most indebted nation in central Europe, believes
the fact that it is the only one of the 10 most successful
countries at the Summer Olympics never to have hosted the Games
should bolster the chances of its 2024 bid.
Hungary has won 168 Olympic gold, 148 silver and 170 bronze
medals in previous Summer and Winter Games according to figures
on the website of the Hungarian Olympic Committee. Its major
strengths are swimming, fencing and water polo.
Budapest will also host the 2017 World Aquatics Championships
after Mexico's Guadalajara pulled out, citing financial
problems.
(Reporting by Gergely Szakacs; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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