Could Budapest host the 2023 IAAF World Athletics Championships?

Despite the growing support for an African country to host the 2023 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships, European Athletics President Svein Arne Hansen believes that Europe should be chosen instead of Africa – as it turns out from a recent article by insidethegames.biz.

The president argued that since the IAAF World Championships will take place in Doha in 2019 and Eugene (USA) in 2021, it would be Europe’s turn again in 2023. Moreover, he believes that the continent is still the centre of the sport, as it was demonstrated by the record-breaking amount of spectators at the latest championships in London.

This is where Budapest comes into the picture. As we have reported a few months ago, government commissioner Balázs Fürjes said that all sports investment projects originally planned for the 2024 Olympics would be completed in the city.

This includes the main Olympic Stadium along the banks of the River Danube, which could be the venue for the IAAF World Championships which Budapest wants to host in 2023.

However, several African countries are interested in staging the event and it is believed that Nairobi has very good chances after successfully organising the IAAF World Under-18 Championships earlier this year. An African country has never been home to the world event, while 11 out of the 16 IAAF World Championships were held in Europe.

But President Hansen is convinced that the event should be held in a European country in 2023. “As shown by the spectacular success of the recent World Championships in London, Europe is the centre of the athletics world and our athletes and fans deserve the stage that we can provide in any number of cities in 2023.”

He added that everyone in the European Athletics Association is aware of the importance of the decision. “We need to keep developing the sport here in Europe and everyone agrees the World Championships is the best tool for doing so.”

Even though the Hungarian athletics family has stars like Balázs Baji and Anita Márton who keep on making history, it’s not quite clear yet whether or not Budapest has real chances of hosting the illustrious world event.

Featured image: www.facebook.com/IAAFWorldChampionships

Ce: bm

Source: http://www.insidethegames.biz/