The New Zealand Rugby Union says it is "delighted" at the
news seven rugby will be included in the 2016 Olympics in
Brazil.
Chief executive Steve Tew said the decision has come after a
six year campaign to get the sport re-admitted into the
Olympics, after over 80 years exclusion.
"We are obviously delighted. Sending our best athletes to
participate in the Olympics games is a fantastic step for
rugby."
The International Olympics Committee (IOC) voted in
Copenhagen, Denmark early today (NZT) to support the
inclusion of rugby sevens for both men and women at the 2016
Rio Janeiro Games Tew said he believed the IOC wanted to
"refresh the games and look into the future, basically sevens
is part of the movement".
"Given New Zealanders shared passion for rugby and the
Olympic Games, I am sure all Kiwi rugby fans would be excited
at the prospect of our sevens team representing New Zealand
on the Olympic stage," Tew he said.
The International Rugby Board delivered a 20-minute
presentation that helped secure a comprehensive 81-8 vote in
favour of the sport's inclusion in the games for the first
time since 1924, the Guardian reported.
IRB secretary general Mike Miller, and president, Bernard
Lapasset with a panel of players that included Jonah Lomu
argued that the inclusion of sevens in the Olympics would
help broaden the spread of countries that could win medals,
grow the sport in new territories, and appeal to sponsors and
fans, the paper reported.
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