After 1989

When the communist system ended in 1989, the structures that had supported Hungarian sport changed with it. This chapter covers what replaced them, how Hungary has done at the Games since, the argument over spending on stadiums and events, the bid to host the 2024 Games and its withdrawal, and the Paralympic story. Funding and hosting are political questions, and the course describes the facts and the arguments without taking a side. Names, dates and figures are from general knowledge and flagged for checking.

The End of the Old System

With the end of state control, the centrally planned sports system lost its guaranteed funding and its tie to the army, police and state firms (check what happened to each). Clubs had to find new sources of money, athletes lost their nominal jobs, and sports schools and facilities fell into different hands. Some of the older traditions survived, helped by their clubs and coaches, while others struggled (check the examples). The 1990s were a time of uncertainty for many sports (check).

Results Since 1989

Hungary has continued to win Olympic medals at every Games, though in smaller numbers than the peak of the mid-century (check the figures for each Games, which differ between sources). The general picture is of stability in the older sports, with some variation from Games to Games (check):

Hungary is typically placed in the middle ranks of the table by gold medals, and high on a per-head basis, in line with the argument of Chapter 1 (check the current figures).

Funding and Stadiums

From the 2010s the Hungarian state increased spending on sport, including on new stadiums and arenas and a corporate tax scheme that channelled money to team sports (check the scheme, its name and its changes). Major new venues in Budapest include a national football stadium and a swimming arena (check the names and dates). Hungary has hosted major international championships, including world championships in swimming and athletics (check which and when).

• The case for. Supporters argue that investment gives athletes better facilities, brings events and tourism, and builds national pride (check).
• The case against. Critics argue that the money could be spent on health, education or grassroots sport, that costs are high, and that contracts and political links raise questions (check).
• The course's position. It describes the spending and the arguments, and does not judge which side is right.

The Budapest 2024 Bid

Budapest announced a bid to host the 2024 Summer Games in 2015 (check). The bid was withdrawn in 2017 after opposition grew, including a citizens' petition that sought a referendum on the question (check the dates and the organisers). The government and the Hungarian Olympic Committee then withdrew the bid, and the Games were awarded to Paris for 2024, with Los Angeles taking 2028 (check). The episode is often used as an example of how public opinion can affect hosting plans, and arguments continue over whether the decision was right (check, and take no side).

The Paralympic Story

Hungary has competed at the Paralympic Games since the early years of the movement and has won medals across a range of sports, with success in swimming, athletics, table tennis and others (check the details). The Paralympic movement was supported unevenly under the old system and has developed since 1989 (check). The course notes this as a strand of its own, and the limited coverage here reflects the limits of the general sources used (check).

Exercises