Official statement
– Statement of the Hungarian Triathlon Union in case of cancelled IronMan races in Budapest –
The Hungarian Triathlon Union (HTU) publishes this statement for the reason of a cancelled triathlon race in Velence (Hungary) 20th of May 2016 by the fault of Kropkó Promotion Ltd. as a sports venture. Kropkó Promotion has not submitted the petition to HTU to organize Ironman triathlon races in Budapest up to this day. For this reason HTU respectfully informs those wishing to compete or participate in the announced, but currently without permit IRONMAN Budapest 70.3 sports event and related announced but without permit sports events, that according to the Hungarian Law of Sport
67.§ (1) Sports events may be organized to the requirements set forth by the national sport federation or the sport federation and to the stipulations of separate legislations.
As per the Hungarian Triathlon Union Basic Rule and Competition Rule, organizers of all triathlon races in Hungary must ask for the written permission of the Union to host triathlon sport races or events, which the Union cannot refuse if the organizing and security conditions set in the Competition Rule, Basic Rule, the Sport Law and Regulations related Government Decrees are met.
Kropkó Promotion Ltd., as organizer of the above mentioned races with the knowledge of right-holder World Triathlon Corporation, despite HTU’s multiple signals, requests and warnings, is not willing to petition for the permission of HTU to host the IRONMAN BUDAPEST 70.3 race and related sports events in 2016.
Implicitly, without a petition to host a race, permission to host a race cannot be given.
Hungarian Law of Sport 66.§ (1) The organizer – or if a security staff agency (host) is employed, the organizer and the security staff – has liability for the administration of the sports event in compliance with the requirements set forth in this Act, in other legislation and in the regulations of the national sport federation or the sport federation.
This was the case in Velence on 20th of May.
According to 22.§ (1) of the Law on Sport, national sport federations are responsible for:
i) supervising the safe hosting of sports events organized in the specific competition system and sports events in their competition calendar in pursuant to 23.§ (1) d)
According to the Basic Rules that Kropkó Promotion Ltd. agreed to in writing:
II. GOALS AND TASKS OF THE FEDERATION
GOAL OF THE FEDERATION
4.§ The Federation organizes, directs, controls and publicizes triathlon events in Hungary exclusively, as a public-benefit organization fulfils state sport responsibilities set in the Law on Sport and other legislations, represents the interests of its sport and its members, and participates in the activities of the international sport organizations.
TASKS AND COMPETENCE OF THE FEDERATION
5.§ (1) g) identifies professional sport rules connected to hosting sports events
According to 65.§ (4) of the Law of Sport:
Sports events, during which contestants carry out activities with increased risks (abnormally dangerous activity) can be held only with prior written permission of the national sport federation or the sport federation. The national sport federation or the sport federation cannot refuse to give permission if the hosting of the sports event complies with the safety regulations set in national and international competition laws of the specific sport, and its hosting does not endanger the operation of the specific sport’s competition system.
Competition rule of the HTU 70.§ Permissions
(1) Organization of sports events or sports competitions set forth in 1.§ (1) are subjected to permission. Permissions must be delivered in writing to HTU at least 30 days prior to the event. Granting permission in ordinary procedures are possible in cases where the host organizes sports events or competitions on the basis of the competition rule of HTU.
It is a fact that written negotiations with Tamás Csomor, executive manager of Kropkó Promotions and his lawyer office ‘Kovács Réti Szegheo Law Firm’ tasked with legal representation did not lead to the result of the host submitting a petition to HTU in the last one and a half month. Tamás Csomor, executive manager of Kropkó Promotions Ltd., ‘Kovács Réti Szegheo Law Firm’, the legal representative of the company and the right-holder World Triathlon Corporation are fully aware of the previously quoted laws, related government decree, regulations and rules.
The Hungarian Triathlon Union states, that is has done everything to let Kropkó Promotion Ltd. – with the help of right-holder World Triathlon Corporation – host a competition allowed by and adapted to Hungarian laws and regulations, but HTU cannot send itself a petition in the name of WTC/Kropkó P. to give permission for a competition, whose Organizer has received state aids worth of HUF 0.5 billion in the last two years with the assistance of HTU, to even be allowed to host Ironman competitions in Budapest. As of today, said Organizer even argues about the legality of the petition’s necessity.
It argues, in spite of what the Law of Sport states, despite the Government Decree about the safety of sports events, it even challenges the Basic Rule of HTU and the Competition Rule of HTU. It argues despite being a fee-paying member of HTU, with a signed Declaration of Commitment, with being a responsible and presumably law-abiding Hungarian citizen and a registered Hungarian enterprise. It does all the above with the knowledge of World Triathlon Corporation.
The Hungarian Triathlon HTU wishes to inform all participants that in the event of a cancelled race, the organizer, and the organizer only, is severally liable.
Budapest, July 5, 2016
Board of the Hungarian Triathlon Federation
