Sevens optimistic for Olympics inclusion

Rugby (in the sevens format) gave an upbeat response while golf was more measured when the two sports heard yesterday that their chances of inclusion at the 2012 Olympics had marginally improved.

Either sport (both shortlisted with squash, roller sports and karate) could join the Games programme if a vote by the IOC on July 8 removes one of the existing 28.
"This is very encouraging news," said Mark Egan, the International Rugby Board's sevens tournament manager.

"Rugby has a lot to offer the Olympics and we believe we have an extremely strong case to be included."

New Zealand are the IRB sevens series champions and have dominated the event for the past five years.

"At the recent World Cup sevens in Hong Kong, six IOC members attended the event and two of those gave us positive reports on what they saw," Egan said.

"We had a 120,000 sellout in Hong Kong over the three days and the games were broadcast to 700 million homes in more than 100 countries in 11 languages, so we had a tremendous response to the event."

Golf, like rugby, has previously been an Olympic sport.

However, scheduling problems are viewed as a potential obstacle to inclusion by the Royal and Ancient Club, which governs golf outside the United States and Mexico.

All 28 Olympic sports will face the vote in Singapore and must win a majority from IOC members to avoid being dropped from the list.

The last sport to be removed from the Games was polo in 1936.