The Prime Minister’s Press Chief Bertalan Havasi has informed MTI that, in the Parliament Building on Friday, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán welcomed Julio C. Maglione and Cornel Marculescu: the President and Executive Director of the International Swimming Federation (FINA). The meeting, which was also attended by the Federation’s Vice Presidents, was held to coincide with the Water Polo World Conference, held in Budapest from 26 to 28 April.
The World Conference reviewed the sport’s development opportunities and challenges, and also focused on modernisation of its regulatory system.
The meeting with the Prime Minister was also attended by: Pál Schmitt, Honorary Vice President of the Hungarian Olympic Committee; Dénes Kemény, President of the Hungarian Water Polo Federation; and Sándor Wladár, President of the Hungarian Swimming Federation. The FINA leaders spoke about last year's world aquatic championships in Budapest, which they described as the best so far.
It was noted that Budapest is a city of international sport, and is outstandingly well-suited for hosting future sporting events at world level.
Accordingly, this year and in coming years high-level competitions will cater for Hungarian fans of aquatic events: this June part of the FINA Marathon Swim World Series will be held in Balatonfüred; in October Budapest will host a heat of the Swimming World Cup; next year the Junior World Swimming Championships will be staged at the Danube Arena; and in 2020 the European Aquatic Championships for swimming, synchronised swimming and diving will be held in the Hungarian capital.