Australian rugby yesterday welcomed the decision to include rugby sevens in the 2016 Olympic Games and called it an honor for the sport.
On Friday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) rubber-stamped the inclusion of rugby union sevens in the Games, which will take place in Rio de Janeiro. It also gave the go-ahead for golf to be included.
“This is a wonderful moment for our game and a momentous decision by the IOC,” Australian Rugby Union (ARU) Managing Director John O’Neill said in a statement released yesterday.
“There is enormous status attached to being an Olympic sport,” he said. “We are extremely proud and honored to say we are finally returning to the Olympic family.”
Rugby Union has been played at the modern Olympics on four previous occasions, in 1900, 1908, 1920 and 1924.
winning gold
Australia competed just once in the rugby competitions, at the London Games in 1908, and won the gold medal after the first Wallabies to tour Britain beat English county champions Cornwall in the final, the ARU said.
“Everyone in rugby will be celebrating our Olympic readmission,” O’Neill said.
“All our players, men and women, from those at the grassroots right through to the elite levels, can now have Olympic Games selection as an ambition,” he said. “I know the younger players in our Wallabies squad will see it as a challenge to force their way into the sevens squad in 2016.”
O’Neill said the sevens program in Australia and around the world would receive a major injection of interest and a raised profile following the IOC’s decision.
■NEW ZEALAND
AFP, WELLINGTON
New Zealand hailed the inclusion of rugby sevens in the 2016 Olympic Games, saying it was a “fantastic step” forward for the sport.
New Zealand is one of the leading exponents of the abridged version of the game, having won the world series eight times in the 10-year history of the tournament.
“We are obviously delighted,” said Steve Tew, the New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive. “Sending our best athletes to participate in the Olympic Games is a fantastic step for rugby.”
PRESENTATION
The 81-8 vote followed a 20-minute presentation by an International Rugby Board panel including former All Blacks great Jonah Lomu, arguing for the sport to be readmitted to the Games after more than 80 years’ exclusion.
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,” he said.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care