All three candidates in the race for the Games, which also includes Los Angeles and Paris, are free to promote their bid worldwide after the submission of the third Candidature File on February 3.

Budapest 2024 have, however, opted to postpone their global promotion in the wake of another referendum attempt from bid opponents.

They do not know when exactly any promotional activities will begin.

Hungarian youth organisation Momentum Mozgalom launched an attempt to collect the sufficient number of 138,000 signatures for a referendum within 30 days earlier this month as part of a campaign entitled "NOlimpia".

The organisation has since announced they are more than halfway to their target as 70,000 people have signed the document.

They have until February 18 to collect the required number for the referendum on the Hungarian capital’s bid to go ahead.

A Budapest 2024 statement confirmed that the promotion campaign had been put on hold.

"The reason for this is related to the fact that signatures are being collected to decide whether a referendum will be held in Budapest about the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games," it said.

"We have always welcomed debate and discussion around our bid and continue to do so.

"Our original plan this week, as with all of our activities, embraced the spirit of Agenda 2020.

"We genuinely believe that the time for big celebrations come after September 13.

"Our commitment to the bid process remains unwavering and we look forward to submitting the third document file on Friday 3rd February."

The Momentum Mozgalom group claim funding would be better spent on education, healthcare, housing, living standards and transport.

Budapest 2024 dispute this suggestion, insisting hosting the Games would boost the economy and that they enjoy particularly high levels of support from young people.

According to a new nationwide public opinion poll performed by Kód Kft in December, a "significant double digit increase was recorded from 51 per cent to 63 per cent among the adult population of Hungary".

A total of 71 per cent of young people aged between the age of 18 and 29 years supported the bid, it is claimed.

A bid spokesman also recently told insidethegames that they are confident there will be "no obstacles" with regard to the bid, even if there is a referendum. 

"Clearly our first priority during this period is to continue to engage with the people of Budapest on the reasons why the Games would improve their lives -  create jobs, improve career opportunities for young people, enhance transport, and provide much needed new affordable housing for students, young people and families," Budapest 2024 added.

"We will also continue to demonstrate that this is a fiscally responsible and economically sound investment in the future of our city."

Cities bidding for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics are not permitted to promote themselves internationally before February 3.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) did confirm to insidethegames last month, however, that the bidding cities had been permitted to promote themselves using airlines in both the national and international phase of the process.

The development to postpone their international promotion could see Budapest, considered the outsiders in the three-horse race, slip further behind their two rivals in the race for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.

The IOC is due to elect its chosen host city at the Session in Lima on September 13.