Sevens rugby for Olympics?
05/07/2005 21:26  - (SA)  

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Cape Town - The International Olympic Committee will on Wednesday announce which country will host the 2012 Olympic Games.

Rugby was on the programme when Paris hosted the Games in 1900 and 1924 and there is now a possibility that Sevens rugby could be included in the 2012 Games - and it will perhaps be held in Paris.

The IOC will vote on Friday to determine if some sport disciplines should be excluded and if golf, rugby and squash will be included.

IOC chairperson, Jacques Rogge, suggested in 2002 that softball and modern pentathlon be excluded and that golf and rugby be included. The shortlist of five new Olympic sports under consideration also include karate and roller-skating.

The delegates will also vote to determine if all 28 Olympic sports will be retained.

Polo was the last sport to disappear from the Summer Games in 1936. If a sport is taken off the Olympic programme, it will hardly feature in future - something that may happen to the modern pentathlon.

Rugby was an Olympic sport in Paris for the first time in 1900 and France won the gold medal. In 1908 in London Australia won the gold medal in rugby while England took silver.

And in 1920 and 1924 the United States took gold in rugby while the French took silver at both Games.

Tennis was an Olympic sport until 1924 when it disappeared from the programme and it was included again 64 years later.

Table tennis was included in 1988 and triathlon, beach volleyball and taekwondo gained Olympic status in 2000.

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