ago.14.2009

The International Rugby Board (IRB) is delighted that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board has recommended Rugby Sevens as one of two sports for inclusion in the Olympic Games.

Rugby Sevens secured its recommendation in the second round of voting, obtaining the 50 percent plus one majority required with nine of the 14 votes. Five further rounds of voting ensued before the Executive Board confirmed golf as the second recommended sport.

In October the IOC Members will vote in Copenhagen on the two sports individually with a straight majority required for Olympic Games' inclusion from 2016.

Bernard Lapasset, President of the IRB, said: We would like to thank the IOC Executive Board for selecting Rugby Sevens from what are seven strong and diverse sports. We recognise the significance of this milestone in our campaign but are also mindful that the ultimate decision rests with the IOC members when they meet in Copenhagen on October 9, 2009.

The Olympic Games would be the pinnacle of the sport for all our athletes and the Rugby Family, providing the opportunity for the best mens and womens players in the world to showcase their talent on the worlds greatest sporting stage. The international Rugby community is united behind Rugby Sevens campaign and we now look ahead to October.

What is sevens rugby:

Skill, Speed and Success

  • Rugby Sevens is a game of speed, skill and strength
  • It is played by Rugbys fastest and fittest athletes men and women
  • A Rugby Sevens tournament is played over two or three days with a new match every 20 minutes and is ideal for broadcasters and spectators
  • An Olympic Rugby Sevens competition could be played in an existing stadium with minimal staging costs
  • Rugby Sevens has already proven a successful addition at major multi-sport events such as the World, Commonwealth and Asian Games

Passion and youth

  • Rugby Sevens has a truly global fanbase
  • Rugby Sevens tournaments have an energetic, friendly, passionate and youthful atmosphere
  • Rugbys loyal fans travel all over the world to follow Sevens tournaments
  • Nearly 500,000 spectators attended the 2009 IRB Sevens World Series
  • These fans will support Rugby Sevens in the Olympic Games and stay on to enjoy all that the worlds greatest sporting celebration has to offer

A Sport for All

  • Rugby Sevens is played at the highest level by both men and women
  • Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 saw the mens and womens competitions played side-by-side
  • Australian Cheryl Soon became the first woman captain to lift the Rugby World Cup Sevens trophy
  • Captain Humphrey Kayange led Kenya to a record finish as his team reached the semi-finals of Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009

Medal opportunities for more nations

  • Rugby Sevens in the Olympic Games would mean more medal chances for more nations
  • Fiji won the Rugby World Cup Sevens in 2005 with Waisale Serevi as captain
  • Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 was a showcase for emerging global talent
  • Teams from Zimbabwe, Samoa and Uganda showed they were capable of competing against the best in the world

Commercial Success

  • Rugby Sevens enjoys high levels of commercial success
  • Rugby Sevens World Cup in Dubai was a sell-out, with almost 80,000 fans attending
  • The tournament enjoyed a potential global television reach of 760 million in 141 countries with the action broadcast in 19 languages
  • The 2009 IRB Sevens World Series attracted nearly 500,000 spectators
  • The IRB Sevens World Series global sponsors and commercial partners include Emirates, BP, Panasonic, Credit Suisse, Hilton and Cathay Pacific