HUNGARY NO MORE: Head of the bid of Budapest for hosting the 2024 Summer Olympic Games Balazs Furjes. Zsolt Szigetvary
Sport
Budapest bows out of Games bidding
OLYMPICS: Budapest will withdraw its bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics maintain Hungary's 'international prestige'.
The decision means the only candidates are Los Angeles and Paris.
The International Olympic Committee will choose the host city in September.
There had been widespread political and popular opposition to Budapest holding the Games, because of the cost.
Opponents to the Games tried to force referendums on the bid, but were blocked by courts or abandoned.
Bid chairman Balazs Furjes said it made no sense to continue the effort unless widespread political support was restored, describing Budapest's bid as a "lame duck" in the current political climate.
