Rugby will not feature at the 2012 Olympics.

A vote was undertaken during the 117th International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Singapore on Saturday, to decide whether to change the sports programme for the 2012 Games in London and future Games. The IOC membership voted to exclude two sports, baseball and softball, but also decided that no new sports would be added to the London 2012 Olympics. Rugby Sevens was on a short-list of five sports for possible inclusion in the Olympics had the IOC voted to strengthen the sports programme.

In the lead up to the vote IOC executive board member Denis Oswald publicly stated that Rugby Sevens "is something of a joke". Reaction from the International Rugby Board (IRB) was swift, supported by letters from the captains of 20 competing teams at the Paris Sevens as well as several high profile international rugby stars. All was in vain.

Following the 2003 Rugby World Cup a comprehensive review of the game has taken place, with the IRB investing in a 'proactive strategic plan for rugby's future development'. As part of this plan they are looking to distribute 30 million pounds to increase the number and competitiveness of unions at tier one, ensuring that major unions remain competitive and tier two unions can step up to the highest level.

Sevens Rugby is in danger of slippling completely off the agenda. The sport found its way into the Commonwealth Games, but the exclusion from the Olympics makes it difficult to continue growing. New frontiers, such as China and the massive population that would embrace rugby were it an Olympic sport, remain unconquered. The IOC has missed a golden opportunity to modernise with sevens rugby, and with no medal incentive and the international sporting prestige which comes with Olympic glory removed, will the IRB find other ways to spend its money? Does this spell the scaling down of Sevens Rugby on the international stage?

This article was posted on 14-Jul-2005, 07:41 by Hugh Barrow.