(ATR)Rugby leaders say the World Rugby Sevens series opening in Dubai this weekend will build the sport’s momentum ahead of its Olympic return in Rio de Janeiro.
The HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series comes just one month after New Zealand defeated Australia to win the World Cup in front of 80,000 fans in London. The tournament an deemed a major success.
"It’s a very special period, a golden period for rugby coming off the back of a record-breaking rugby World Cup and for the first time in 92 years we’re back at the Olympics with a sevens format," said Brett Gosper, the CEO of World Rugby during a conference call from Dubai.
"In a period of about nine months, two major global sports events should spur further growth and develop the sport across the world and in parts of the world where rugby had not been a dominator in the past, so we’re very excited about that," he said.
"We’re also excited for the start of the new-look, 10 destination HSBC series which kicks off this weekend," Gosper added. "It will be a great lead-up to Rio in August next year."
Gosper said the Rio 2016 venue in the Deodoro Olympic Park is a 15,000-seat temporary structure. He believes ticket sales have been strong in a market where the sport is growing.Rugby kicks off in Rio on day one of the Games, with three days of women’s competition followed by three days of men’s action.
"We’re very confident putting on a big show – it’s important that we do for the sport," Gosper said. "We’ll be evaluated shortly after this to see if we become a core Olympic sport or not, so we’re going to make sure we get it right."
Rugby’s Global Growth
According to a new HSBC report titled "Breaking New Ground," global rugby participation has doubled since the sport was approved for the Olympic program in 2009.
The report claims the number of women players has grown from 200,000 to 1.7 million in the last three years and rugby sevens is opening up the game in new markets on all continents.
The game has been included and played at the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, Pan-American Games and the Nanjing Youth Olympics.
The inclusion of men’s and women’s rugby in the 2016 Olympics has been a catalyst for both funding and development. World Rugby has invested more than $500 million across the game at all levels between 2009 and Rio 2016. Additional rugby funding has come from national Olympic committees.
World Rugby chairman Bernard Lapasset said the sport is already benefiting from its Olympic status.
"Olympic Games inclusion is transforming rugby worldwide," Lapasset said. "We are already seeing and converting the hugely positive and tangible opportunity of inclusion, and having our best men and women sevens players showcasing our exciting sport on one of the world’s biggest stages will enable rugby to engage and inspire new audiences around the world."
The IOC approved men’s and women’s rugby sevens for Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 at its Session in Copenhagen in 2009.
Reported by Brian Pinelli
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