Rugby 7's into the 2016 Olympics!!!

[travelling_gerry]

Rugby union sevens will be included as sports at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced.

Rugby sevens received 81 votes for and eight against with one abstention, while golf had 63 for and 27 against with two members abstaining.

IOC members rubber-stamped the two sports at a congress here after the executive board had voted to include them at a meeting in August.

The two sports will be included in the programme for the 2016 Rio Games, bringing the number of sports there to the IOC's stated maximum of 28.

Rugby sevens will see 12 teams each in men's and women's competition, with the sport's governing body the IRB having pledged to end its showpiece World Cup Sevens tournament.

The International Golf Federation has promised that the world's best will take part in Olympic golf, which will see 60 players in both the men and women's competitions facing off over 72 holes.

Softball, squash, baseball, karate and roller sports were also in contention for Olympic spots until their elimination by the executive board vote two months ago.

Both rugby and golf have been played previously at Olympics.

Golf was played at the Paris Games in 1900 and four years later in St Louis, while rugby was played between 1900-24, in the full 15-a-side format.

AAP

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-23217,00.html

[beige]

WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

[KenyaQuin]

Excellent

[LarryNJ]

Now the US finally gets the chance to get their 3rd Gold!

[GIGS20]

I guarantee the US will begin building a world class rugby 7s team now!

They'll def be in the hunt for the gold by the time 2016 rolls around

[Thequeerone]

They won't be alone - China will take interest as well - Fantastic News

Can anyone Limbo

[beige]

You mean samba...

[sandgroperrugby]

Awesome news what a great spectacle it will be.

[brokendown gunfighter]

the local sport reporters on the ABC radio the other day were whinging about it.I doubt if any of them have seen a game of 7's.Probably pissed that gayfl didnt get admitted

[tragic]

Whinging about it? What's there to whinge about?

I would like to take this opportunity to say:
WOOHOOO!!!!

... now which were those 8 naughty countries.....

[beige]

I'm guessing the baseball / softball countries...

Curious, what were they complaining about on ABC radio - rugby being in the Olympics or the fact that it's sevens?

[oxleymoron]

I was watching a show called Around the Horn on ESPN earlier, when they were talking about the inclusion of rugby into the Olympics. They had some footage they used to show a rugby game. The idiots used NRL footage of the storm and the eels and saying that this was the new olympic sport.

If this is what the majority of the yanks think that this is the sport being included in the olympics, there may not be any additions to the two golds the have already.

[Thequeerone]

Hmm...
don't think we will be that lucky

[beige]

If this is what the majority of the yanks think that this is the sport being included in the olympics, there may not be any additions to the two golds the have already.

Much of a muchness I think - all they would have seen was a big crowd and people running and hitting each other...

[LarryNJ]

I was watching a show called Around the Horn on ESPN earlier, when they were talking about the inclusion of rugby into the Olympics. They had some footage they used to show a rugby game. The idiots used NRL footage of the storm and the eels and saying that this was the new olympic sport.

If this is what the majority of the yanks think that this is the sport being included in the olympics, there may not be any additions to the two golds the have already.

Well I guess the gold medal is out of the question than. I wonder if they'll even qualify to be one of the 12 teams.