Upward Mobility
Rugby sevens, a variation of the traditional game involving only seven players, was approved with 81 votes in favour and 8 votes against to be included in the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games. Golf was also approved, but with a decidedly narrower margin of 63 to 26. In the debate lading up to the vote, some IOC members labelled golf as too elitist for the Olympic Movement.
It is worth noting that rugby sevens features already on the programme of several multi-sport games: The World Games, the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, etc.
In July, International Rugby Board (IRB) President Bernard Lapasset commented on the sport's participation in The World Games 2009 Kaohsiung: “The sevens tournament at the World Games has always proven successful and this year we are particularly excited that the competition is being held in Asia.
"Rugby is reaching out there to new young audiences in a rapidly developing market for our sport. We are looking forward to what promises to be an exciting tournament,” added the IRB head. Read more about sevens at The World Games 2009, click here!
DanceSport is well advised to keep its Olympic ambitions alive and to focus on taking part in as many multi-sport games as possible in the years to come. It worked for rugby!
Read more about the two sports added to the Olympic Programme, go to the website of the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF), click here!
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