Rugby Sevens, golf set for 2016 Olympic Games after IOC vote

[travelling_gerry]

From Pirate Irwin in Berlin, Germany
August 13, 2009 The 2016 Olympic Games will almost certainly feature Sevens rugby and golf after the International Olympic Olympic Committee executive board voted for their inclusion in Berlin on Thursday.

But the decision, made by secret ballot, is not binding as it has to be rubber-stamped by the entire IOC membership in a vote in Copenhagen in October.

The 2016 Games will feature 28 sports if golf and Sevens are included.

Rugby had always been a front-runner, as rugby powerbrokers, after failing in their bid for inclusion in the 2012 Games in London, mounted an aggressive and effective campaign.

International Rugby Board president Bernard Lapasset had made the sport's Olympic inclusion the priority of his first term of office.

Golf, meanwhile, attracted a certain amount of scepticism, even from golf lovers, as it was considered "too elitist".

Also, as Australian golfer Geoff Ogilvy declared at one point, players "are not members of a team, we are individuals and we decide where we play".

Softball produced a passionate campaign led by Korean War veteran Don Porter, who was stunned when the sport was voted out of the Games in Singapore in 2005.

Agence France-Presse

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-23218,00.html

[beige]

WOOO! I'd better get my hopes up!

[shasta]

This is fantastic news. Now there is not only the incentive of playing internationally for young people to aspire to. There's the possibility of going to the Olympics. Watch for schools programs to grow dramatically over the next 6 years. The Americans Chinese etc,are very Olympics-focussed and will want to be in the action. The yanks will hopefully be determined to defend their "Olympic Champion" status, although it was not for 7's

[KenyaQuin]

But the decision, made by secret ballot, is not binding as it has to be rubber-stamped by the entire IOC membership in a vote in Copenhagen in October.

Well, before we go off popping the cork, lets keep the bottle on ice till after the October meeting.

Also, with regard to "rubber-stamped by the entire IOC membership in a vote", I believe this is dependent on a simple majority rule which should make things a little easier.

Good luck to rugby.

[TOCC]

this will have massive ramifications, especially in countries like the US and China.

This opens rugby in the US to $millions in support from the government, likewise in China.

[jargan83]

Rugby is the game of the Chinese army isn't it?
Posted via Mobile Device

[beige]

Rugby is the game of the Chinese army isn't it?
Posted via Mobile Device

I've read mixed reports about that. However, if it's an Olympic sport they'll receive funding to open some of those Chinese-style sports academies. That'd be awesome for the game there.

[shasta]

Rugby is the game of the Chinese army isn't it?
Posted via Mobile Device

Yeah but there's only about 3 million of 'em and they weren't brought up with Rugby so I wouldn't bother putting much hope there.

[travelling_gerry]

August 14, 2009 - 8:19AM

Rugby Union sevens would bring a festival and party atmosphere to the 2016 Olympic Games should it be voted in by the majority of 100 plus International Olympic Committee (IOC) members in October, says rugby supremo Bernard Lapasset .

The Frenchman was speaking after seeing his dream of bringing rugby union into the Olympics take a huge step forward after the IOC's Executive Board voted it in as the first of the two sports to present to the members in Copenhagen.

Rugby, which last appeared at the Olympics in 1924, easily made it through garnering the required majority in the second round of the vote for the first sport with nine.

The next was softball with two, though, it was to be golf which would win the vote for the second sport.

"Sevens is a festival sport which brings a party atmosphere to the stadium," said Lapasset, who took over the presidency of the International Rugby Board (IRB) from Dr Syd Millar in January 2008.

"It is a sport that speaks to the young and brings them in. It is a sport of young players and young spectators."

Lapasset, formerly head of the French Rugby Federation and who oversaw the 2007 World Cup, said another attraction of the sevens format was its unpredictability and that it was open to many more countries than the fuller, 15-man game.

"It is a sport for all nations," said Lapasset. "Anyone can win. Fiji, Tonga, Kenya, Wales for instance were the surprise winners of the World Cup in Dubai earlier this year."

He added that it was also a sport open to both sexes - Australia winning the women's World Cup in Dubai - which is in itself an attraction to the IOC membership who state that one of their values is that of sexual equality.

"Sevens is recognised by both men and women. It is played in 116 countries. It is a very open and technically and physically and this in itself opens it up to develop globally."

Lapasset said he did not know whether the fact that IOC president Jacques Rogge had played rugby for Belgium had played a role in the outcome.

"All I know is that many IOC members have been made aware of rugby over the past two years and it has seen its reward today (Thursday)."

However, Lapasset was adamant that this was just another step on the way to realising what he has termed the priority of his first term in power and they would not be taking their foot off the accelerator.

"We have to remain vigilant. So far our arguments have convinced the IOC but we mustn't let two years of hard work go to waste at the final stage," he said.

AFP

http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...756428590.html

[mudskipper]

Rugby is the game of the Chinese army isn't it?
Posted via Mobile Device

Feng shui line-outs..... Feng shui scrums..... Feng shui rucks..... It could work, get Mitchell to do some reach for Deans...

[Working Class]

Rugby is one of two official sports of the Chinese Army. Supposedly the Navy, Air force and Police are considering it also.

Rugby gaining Olympic status could provide the spark not only for an explosion in fringe nations and potential nations but for Australia aswell. Here hoping for the best.

[beige]

Olympic gold 'out of reach' for Giteau

Wallabies superstar Matt Giteau has welcomed the recommendation that rugby sevens be part the Olympics, but ruled himself out of a Games appearance in 2016.

The International Olympic Committee on Thursday recommended rugby's reinstatement to the Games after an absence of 85 years, along with golf after seven sports had sought a place.

Five-eighth Giteau will be 33 in seven years' time but said he would be too "beaten up" to play.

"It would be amazing but I think it's out of reach for me, 2016," he told reporters on Friday.

"It would still be great to support it but I think, for a rugby player in general, even the thought of winning an Olympic gold or an Olympic medal or competing at the Olympics, you never thought (it) was possible.

" ... I think by that time I would have had enough 15s, I would've been beaten up probably too much," added Giteau, who was chosen for the Australian sevens team in 2002 before being elevated to the Wallabies.

Australia's world champion women's side will now have an opportunity to shoot for Olympic gold after they beat New Zealand to win the inaugural women's rugby sevens World Cup in Dubai in March.

Wallabies skills coach Richard Graham said the move would also allow the country's struggling men's side to improve.

"Now with the possibility it's going to be included in the Olympics, funding from the government and so forth, allows us to put a very good (sevens) program together," he said.

ARU boss John O'Neill was delighted with the IOC's decision.

"There is a lot of cache attached to being part of the Olympic movement," he said.

"It's certainly an honour some other football codes in this country will never have the chance to experience."

Rugby's 15-a-side form has been a part of the Games in 1900, 1908, 1920 and 1924. Australia won gold in 1908.

Full article: http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=850295

[James]

Rugby is one of two official sports of the Chinese Army. Supposedly the Navy, Air force and Police are considering it also.

Rugby gaining Olympic status could provide the spark not only for an explosion in fringe nations and potential nations but for Australia aswell. Here hoping for the best.

Rugby isn't really the sport for explosions. But definitely the increased funding in some of those sleeping giants for Olympic 7s would see a flow on effect into the XVs side in player skills, player numbers, corporate interest and funding.

[AndyS]

Just like handball....

[beige]

Rugby isn't really the sport for explosions.

I don't even know what that means but it sounded funny!