Rugby Gears Up for Olympics
Jan.27.2010
Planning for Rugby Sevens' debut at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janerio
started in earnest Tuesday as the International Rugby Board’s (IRB) President
Bernard Lapasset and his team traveled to Lausanne for meetings with the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Association of Summer Olympic
International Federations (ASOIF).
The meetings, the first between the organisations since the IOC overwhelmingly
voted Rugby Sevens into the Olympic Games last October at the 121st Session in
Copenhagen, will kick-start the formal collaborative process as the sport prepares
for 2016.
Lapasset and his team will use the preliminary meetings as a constructive platform
to discuss all aspects of Olympic Games inclusion.
"I am delighted to be in Lausanne today to begin working in close collaboration
with the IOC on our journey towards the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Our
campaign for inclusion was an opportunity for us to explain why Rugby is good
for the Games and the Games good for Rugby," said Lapasset.
"Today we start giving life to this vision and look forward to providing guidance
in the coming years to our National Unions [Federations] on leveraging this
opportunity while also welcoming new nations into the Rugby Family. Rugby is
about successful partnerships and teamwork and we will bring the same
commitment to our work with the Olympic Family."
IOC Sports Director Christophe Dubi said: "Success in Rugby requires all the
players on a team to work in close collaboration towards a common goal and it is
the same for sports that are a part of the Olympic Programme. We are delighted to
have President Lapasset, Secretary General Mike Miller and the IRB team with us
in Lausanne and we are sure that the spirit of collaboration evident in the meetings
will guide us to a very successful Games for the Olympic Movement and Rugby
Sevens in Rio in 2016."
ASOIF Director Andrew Ryan said: "The Olympic Federations are very excited
about having the IRB as a member of our group and expect it to be an important
contributor in many areas beyond the Games alone
The popularity of Rugby Sevens has further accelerated since the IOC decision
with increased attendance and broadcast figures achieved for the opening rounds of
the 2009/10 IRB Sevens World Series. Emerging Rugby nations Brazil, Germany
and Russia are also in the race to host Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013, all keen to
showcase a sport that works so well on television and has such widespread
international appeal for spectators.
While Rugby Sevens continues to reach out to new audiences around the world,
the IRB is currently in the process of conducting a major overhaul of its Sevens
Strategic Plan, a process that will provide the blueprint for growth across all areas
as the sport prepares for its Olympic Games debut.
"The IRB Sevens Strategic Plan underpinned the unprecedented growth of men's
and women's Rugby Sevens, culminating in the global Rugby family realising its
Olympic dream," said Lapasset.
"With that major strategic goal achieved, the current five year contractual cycle of
the IRB Sevens World Series entering its penultimate year and collaboration with
the IOC under way, it is now the appropriate time to move to the next phase of
strategic planning considering all aspects of Rugby Sevens’ development around
the world."
"This process has the purpose of delivering the framework for Rugby Sevens at all
levels to continue to flourish and reach out to new markets, new communities and
new male and female players of all ages, while ensuring that all our Unions have
access to a development and tournament pathway that optimises the effects of
Olympic Games inclusion."
Source: www.irb.com
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