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| Sevens makes Olympic impression |
| 31 March 2005, 12:00 am |
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Rugby Sevens moved a step closer to being included as an Olympic sport after key officials were impressed by the recent World Cup in Hong Kong.
The International Rugby Board hosted several members of the InternationalOlympic Committee at the World Cup, which was won in thrilling fashion by Fiji over New Zealand.
The Fijians, led by player of the tournament Waisale Serevi, beat England in sudden-death extra-time in the semi-final and then overcame New Zealand 29-19 in the final.
Ron Froehlich, a member of the IOC's Programme Commission, was amongst the invited guests and wrote a favourable report on the event.
``There is no doubt Sevens would be an ideal Olympic sport. In sevens we have universality, a very important component for the Olympics,'' Froehlich told the South China Morning Post.
The IOC have already decided that rugby could only be considered as an Olympic sport in the Sevens format because the full 15-a-side game is too physical for a full tournament to be squeezed into the Olympic schedule. |
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