Benkő Tibor, who served as Hungary’s defense minister in the Orbán government from 2018 until May 2022, has been chosen as the new president of the Budapesti Honvéd Sportegyesület (BHSE), Index.hu reported.
Stepping Into the Leadership Role at BHSE
The 71-year-old was nominated for the club presidency by Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi, as noted by former lawmaker Ákos Hadházy in a Facebook post covered by Telex and Origo. Although the appointment has not yet been processed in the official court registry, Benkő is already listed as president on the sports association’s website.
Minister of Defense Simicskó István, Chief of General Staff Colonel General Benkő Tibor and Director-General of TEK (Terrorelhárítási Központ – Counter Terrorism Centre) Brigadier General Hajdu János at Újdörögd in Zalahaláp, Veszprém County, Hungary on September 21st, 2016. pic.twitter.com/v0DENs28w1
István Gergely, the executive president of BHSE, explained to Telex that the election took place the previous week. The position became vacant following the departure of István Simicskó, who stepped down from the role in June. Gergely noted that the defense ministry founded the club roughly 77 years ago, making it standard practice for the ministry to propose candidates for the association’s leadership.
“The Budapesti Honvéd was founded by the defense portfolio about 77 years ago, so the defense portfolio has always nominated members to the leadership of the association, this is a natural process, and it happened no differently now,” Gergely told Telex, adding that the process remains entirely independent of politics.
Personal Background and Past Ties to Military Sports
In an interview published on the club’s official social media channels, Benkő reflected on his athletic background, noting that he was never a competitive athlete. His primary sporting experience, he recalled, was playing for the boys’ handball team at the Tiszalök elementary school. Beyond handball, he followed football and boxing, developing a deep affinity for Budapesti Honvéd through its storied athletes and achievements.
During his tenure as chief of the general staff, Benkő worked alongside then-István Simicskó in 2017 to relaunch the “Sportszázad” (Sports Century) initiative. That program integrates elite athletes within military frameworks to represent both Hungarian sports and defense values.
Benkő stated that he will not accept any financial compensation for the presidency, taking on the duties strictly on a voluntary basis out of respect for the club.
Political Scrutiny and Upcoming Conflict-of-Interest Regulations
The appointment has drawn political attention regarding prospective legislation. Hadházy pointed out that the government announced plans in September to introduce strict conflict-of-interest regulations in sports. The proposed rules would prohibit ministers, state secretaries, government commissioners, party leaders, members of parliament, and state-owned company heads from holding leadership posts in sports federations or major clubs with over 500 athletes.
Under the draft legislation, the restriction applies to former politicians for up to four years following the end of their political mandate. Because Benkő concluded his service as defense minister in May 2022, he does not fall under the prohibition.
Origo noted that Simicskó preceded Benkő as defense minister until 2018. Meanwhile, Hadházy highlighted that Ruszin-Szendi served as a state secretary under Benkő before being appointed chief of the general staff on Benkő’s recommendation.
When Telex contacted the Ministry of Defense regarding the nomination, the ministry responded that the election of BHSE members falls entirely within the association’s jurisdiction.
