Schmidt discussed the government's LA10 programme, which aims for Hungarian athletes to win ten gold medals at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California—potentially placing the delegation in the top ten of the medal table.

Even György Szöllősi, Nemzeti Sport's Editor-in-Chief who led the interview, called the goal potentially overambitious.

Schmidt countered that his team has already pinpointed 20 Hungarian athletes with realistic gold medal potential by 2028. He named just one: two-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Kristóf Milák.

He also described a dedicated support system for 370 athletes tracked for likely Olympic qualification. It provides immediate help for issues in physical or mental health, family matters, or club transitions.

Schmidt noted that if this had existed for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Hungary's six gold medals could have been higher.

The state secretary addressed the "syphoning effect" of the virtual world on young athletes, calling it a key challenge for modern sports. He highlighted government investments in sports infrastructure as one countermeasure. Parents today, he said, won't let kids train in facilities where basics like a working tap are missing.

Another approach, he added, is showcasing role models to draw youth from screens to sports. He cited Hungarian Olympic champions like swimmer Krisztina Egerszegi and pentathlete Michelle Gulyás.

Schmidt then considered what a government change after the upcoming election might mean for Hungarian sports.

"Those who joined Hungarian sports as athletes, experts, or executives since 2010 see today's strong support as normal—they don't consider what a shift could bring," he told Nemzeti Sport.

"Hungarian sport holds a unique position because the nation has a Prime Minister who treats it as a priority. If a proposal makes sense and is backed by sports science, he supports it. Over the last 16 years, sports has become a strategic priority: daily PE in schools, gym and swimming pool upgrades, and infrastructure investments — all building on each other."

MTI Stock Photo

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