Balázs Fürjes, Government Commissioner for International Sport Bids, Budapest, has expressed confidence that the Hungarian city will be able to stage a great 2023 IAAF World Championships ©Twitter

Balázs Fürjes, Government Commissioner for International Sport Bids, Budapest, has welcomed the announcement by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) that the city is the preferred European candidate to host the 2023 World Championships.

"It is a great acknowledgment for us that the IAAF is seriously considering Hungary to be the host for 2023, exactly 25 years after the European Athletics Championships in Budapest," he told insidethegames.

"We are confident to be able to match its expectations and deliver on our promises again.

"However, we also know that the bid process has not yet finished, we carry on working hard until the final decision in December."

The announcement was made by IAAF President Sebastian Coe during the two-day IAAF Council meeting in Buenos Aires which finished yesterday. 

Barcelona has also expressed interest in the 2023 IAAF World Championships.

Marton Gyulai, genenral secretary of the Hungarian Athletics Association and chief executive officer of Budapest's IAAF World Championships 2023 bid, commented:

"Hungary was a founding member of the IAAF in 1912 and Budapest is where the idea of the European Athletics Association came into existence nearly 90 years ago."

Marton Gyulai, genenral secretary of the Hungarian Athletics Association and chief executive officer of Budapest's IAAF World Championships 2023 bid, has welcomed the announcement that the Hungarian city is the IAAF's preferred European venue ©Getty Images
Marton Gyulai, genenral secretary of the Hungarian Athletics Association and chief executive officer of Budapest's IAAF World Championships 2023 bid, has welcomed the announcement that the Hungarian city is the IAAF's preferred European venue ©Getty Images

Gyulai added: "Athletics has always had a special place in our heart and the opportunity to host the IAAF World Championships 2023 is something that the whole country and the entire region is strongly behind.

"The Hungarian Athletics Association is very proud to have come so far in this process, and together with the government of Hungary we are ready to work closely with the IAAF to ensure their sporting and commercial objectives are not only met but surpassed.

"Our goal is to fill the stadium for every session and organize the best World Championships in history!"

The IAAF has made a number of key decisions on subjects among others including the new host city bidding rules.

"Under the new rules, the Council was informed of the discussions with European Cities and approved the recommendation that Budapest be declared the preferred European city to host the IAAF World Championships in 2023," the IAAF said in a statement after the 214th Council Meeting.

"The process now is for a full technical, financial and risk evaluation to be undertaken with the results presented to the Council in December.

"At that stage a final decision will be made."