Past Events 2008
Ambassador Honors the American Football Federation of Hungary
Ambassador Foley gave a reception for the members of the American Football Federation of Hungary (AFFH) at her residence on July 7, 2008. Players and coaches from all over Hungary, representing the eighteen teams that compete in the Hungarian League, attended the reception.
The Ambassador granted a Sports Diplomacy Award to Mr. László Tóth, the President of AFFH, for sharing the best of American sporting culture with Hungary’s sports community. Another award went to Lee Hlavka, head coach of the Budapest Wolves for his tireless work in building the American Football League and developing its cadre of coaches.
In her remarks, Ambassador Foley noted that this quintessential American game is catching on in Hungary and teams are excited about the Hungarian Super Bowl to be held on July 12. She said that U.S. football teams and star athletes bring together audiences from different ethnic, religious, and professional backgrounds in a common passion for the game. They help Americans celebrate diversity, providing role models for young and old alike. She also noted that Hungarians who had settled in the United States had been in the forefront of making football a pillar of America’s pluralistic culture.