MASZ issued a statement in response to Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony announcing last week that he would propose to the general assembly’s meeting this week to withdraw its approval for the city to host the 2023 event.

The mayor argued that by passing a law on China’s Fudan University, the government had violated a 2019 agreement which included, among other things, Budapest’s approval for the world athletics championships.

In its statement, MASZ said that “only a member of the international athletics federation is entitled to submit a bid for hosting a championships”.

“Accordingly, it was MASZ that applied for and won the right to organise the 2023 World Athletics Championships with the support of the Hungarian government,” the federation said, adding that the government had guaranteed covering the costs of organisation.

“Since the municipality of Budapest will not participate in organising the 2023 championships, it is not a contracting party, and as such does not have any tasks or any expenses to cover in connection with the event,” MASZ said.