By Spiro Zavos
August 16th 2009 @ 7:32am
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Gold, gold for Australia with the new Olympic Sports
The chief executive of the ARU, John O’Neill, went out of his way to praise the efforts of Phil Coles, Kevan Gosper and John Coates in getting the IOC’s executive board to select Sevens Rugby as a new Olympic Sport, along with golf.
The implication in the praise is that Sevens Rugby will offer an opportunity [...]
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MVDave said | August 16th 2009 @ 8:21am | Report comment
Going on your logic then AFL 9s or RL 7s should be included coz Oz would have a great chance of winning Gold….thats the only important thing. Doesnt matter that the Olympics is becoming a bigger joke each passing games. l would be happy for football to be out of the games but it seems the IOC need football more than football needs the IOC. Golf and a hybrid version of Rugby pleeeeease!
Michael C said | August 16th 2009 @ 9:20am | Report comment
Exactly right – - -and nice to see you appropriately running with my suggestion about AFL 9s, it really does help portray the craziness of Rugby 7s. That was only ever the context I meant it in the first place.
btw – the real farce here is that the sports were supposed to exhibit strong pariticipation by BOTH men and women. RU though has stuff all female participants – -
Spiro tries to gloss over (spin) this point : The Australian Women’s Sevens Rugby side has set the pattern for this shrewd use of outside talent.
Hopefully 2012 London might be a short term visitation of Rugby 7s. And, certainly golf…….gawd, what’ll we see next, the Olympic F1 GP??
albatross said | August 16th 2009 @ 1:47pm | Report comment
If Rugby 7s is included why not Sepak takraw/Footnis? This latter is a far more interesting and skillful sport than 7s.
Justin said | August 16th 2009 @ 2:49pm | Report comment
Well there is a womens world cup in rugby so I would suggest there is enough players around for an Olympic 7s tournament.
Michael C said | August 17th 2009 @ 6:48am | Report comment
How much does a womens ‘world cup’ really mean? It ain’t a professional or semi pro sport, and, how many of the ladies are either borrowed from touch or female league, or, how broad a participation base do they represent?
In Australia, all ERASS sports participation surveys have struggled to show a statistically significant female Union participation,…..not just nationally, but even state by state.
So, I hope you don’t mean to put forward Australia as a shining example of the male/female worth of RU as an Olympic sport.
but, then, that male/female equation seems a bit silly when we look at synchro swimming, (& boxing,..hmm – topical!).
SideShowBob said | August 16th 2009 @ 5:25pm | Report comment
Footy 9s for the 2032 Melbourne Olympics. Good call!
Tifosi said | August 16th 2009 @ 8:59am | Report comment
Yeah they olympics are becoming less about participation and more about trying to get as many stars as possible.
I mean do we really want to see a 50 year old golfer winning a gold medal?
Then again people actually think seeing who can swim the fastest backwards is worthwhile also.
The olympics should be cutting out sports rather than adding them.
Also Mr Zavros, Rugby isnt in yet. I hope it makes it, but wait for the official announcement first.
Shahsan said | August 16th 2009 @ 10:50am | Report comment
“the olympics are becoming less about participation and more about trying to get as many stars as possible.”
Tifosi, I don’t follow your logic: your statment implies the IOC are intoducing two sports with low participation but which has big stars. I would argue that both sports have higher participation than any of the other candidates on the list, as well as many sports already on the Olympics list.
How many gymnasts, synchornised swimmers or beach volleyballers do you know in your day to day life or read about in the years between olympic games? Then ask yourself the same question about about golf or some form of rugby union.
I will agree with you though that the logic for which sports should be in has been lost long ago.
Viscount Crouchback said | August 16th 2009 @ 11:14am | Report comment
I think the key is to include sports with a strong moral core. The Olympics are founded on ancient notions of European chivalry and, as such, it is completely inappropriate that morally tainted sports such as cycling and soccer should be included on the roster.
I suspect that Mr Rogge is on the right track. He is an old-fashioned sort of gentleman and I think he values the sound moral traditions of rugger and golf. He should also take a look at snooker. It probably rivals golf as the most virtuous sport on earth – players (even those from rough backgrounds) wear black tie, and frequently own up to fouls, even at profound cost to their own chances of victory.
I should also like to see some horse racing, and perhaps some hunting. One could easily make room by doing away with absurd sports like basketball and handball.
John Ryan said | August 16th 2009 @ 11:23am | Report comment
Very Droll
onside said | August 16th 2009 @ 11:31am | Report comment
Viscount
dont forget darts ,Texas hold ‘em and bungy jumping.(great off tower bridge). And hunting,
a stroke of pure creative genius,fourteen beagles ripping a fox apart at the closing ceromony
Twat Merchant said | August 16th 2009 @ 9:51am | Report comment
Olympic participation is government funded in Australia. Expect K Hunt to commence a campaign on behalf of all AFL & NRL players being given the right to participate in selection trials for Australia’s Rugby 7s team. This isn’t an ARU team. It comes under the AOC and all Australians are entitled to consideration.
hammer said | August 16th 2009 @ 10:07am | Report comment
I think the aussies are booed for another reason other than that they were too good back when HK 7’s was an end of season festival jaunt …. otherwise the booing would have stopped along time ago …. and of course if gold medals were a guarantee for Aust to take it seriously – they’ve had the Comm Games to inspire them beyond the rubbish they dish up
megan said | August 16th 2009 @ 10:23am | Report comment
Wasn’t stormin Norman’s call “Gold, Gold ,Gold, not just gold, gold?
Viscount Crouchback said | August 16th 2009 @ 10:32am | Report comment
What an astonishingly parochial article. Whether Australia does or does not win any more gold medals is neither here nor there. The real questions are these:
(1) Will the Olympics benefit from the introduction of golf and rugger?
(2) Will rugger and golf benefit from the Olympics?
In answer to the first question, I suggest yes – both rugger and golf are superbly civilised sports, played (for the most part) by gentlemen. It will do the rest of the world a power of good to be exposed to such fine examples.
In answer to the second question, I suggest yes for rugger and no for golf. Rugger will benefit immensely from increased exposure and new interest as nations without a rugger tradition begin to take it seriously so that they can aim for a medal. Golf, in contrast, is quite exposed enough, and no Olympic tournament will ever equal a major for prestige. It seems to me rather pointless to include it.
Nevertheless, I congratulate Mr Rogge for his clever persuasion behind the scenes. Though Belgian, he is a noted Anglophile and a former amateur rugger player himself. It is quite right that the virtuous Anglo sports take precedence. The notion that John Coates had anything to do with the decision is utterly laughable, and yet another example of Mr Zavos’s penchant for parochialism.
John Ryan said | August 16th 2009 @ 11:27am | Report comment
Wonder how much money it cost,to get the new sports into it, I think the IOC believes in you scratch my back ill scratch yours,unless its changed vastly from the days of the Franco supporter
Shahsan said | August 16th 2009 @ 10:40am | Report comment
Mr Zavos parochial? I believe he is a Kiwi!
MyGeneration said | August 16th 2009 @ 11:38am | Report comment
I’m sceptical about the success of 7s doing much good for 15s, just as I’m sceptical about 20/20s success doing much good for “real” cricket.
vinay verma said | August 16th 2009 @ 11:46am | Report comment
Two More Sports to be added….Whale Hunting..strong Japanese support and Tiger Poaching…Chinese national Pasttime.
onside said | August 16th 2009 @ 3:01pm | Report comment
or show jumping being good for hurdle racing
Mr Grumpy said | August 16th 2009 @ 12:48pm | Report comment
Rugby and golf have been proposed for inclusion in the 2016 Olympic Games. The tone of the article implies they are in the Olympic programme in 2016 or are a given.
The decision by the executive board of the International Olympic Committee still needs a majority of the 107 members for the two sports to be readmitted.
For rugby and golf to fit within the cap of 10,500 athletes, the other 26 sports in the Olympic programme have to shed some participants from their events. Which of the 26 will do that?
The current sports will lobby IOC members to not vote in rugby and golf. More than 70 per cent of IOC members joined the IOC committee in the reign of the little Facist, so there should be no surprises in yarns about skull-duggery in the time leading to the vote in Copenhagen.
In regard to having a better balance of females in sports, the IOC wants this but the international federations have to cull the number of male events/athletes within their sports.
Easier said than done.
Shahsan – all you need to know about artistic gymnastics is the sport is one of the most popular at the Olympic Games and has some of the highest television ratings around the world during the two-weeks.
The tickets to the artistic gymnastics were the hardest to obtain after the ceremonies in Beijing last year. NBC, still the IOC’s paymaster, had asked the international gymnastics federation, FIG, to expand the artistic programme as it rates highly.
The finals for artistic gymnastics, with swimming, were moved after NBC requested it.
I guess the Olympics will benefit from admitting a “moral” sport such as rugby. Players such as Tom Williams, Justin Harrison, Matt Stevens, Michael Lipman, Alex Crockett, Andrew Higgins and Schalk Burger uphold the morals that rugby is keen to display to the world.
Viscount Crouchback said | August 16th 2009 @ 1:45pm | Report comment
Outrageous, sir. Outrageous!
There are a few bad apples in every regiment – and rugger is no different. Let us not tar all rugger chaps with the same brush merely because a few rum characters have been up to mischief.
Truth be told, rugger is the most moral of all sports. A chap can enjoy a spot of biff with his opposite number and as soon as the whistle goes to signal the end of the game, it’s all forgotten. Compare that to the ghastly socer oiks who keep black books of their enemies so that they can “nobble” them next time. Frightful!
Let us hope that the marvellous Mr Rogge has soccer on his hitlist of sports to strike off.
Working Class Rugger said | August 16th 2009 @ 12:59pm | Report comment
Mr Grumpy
It’s not an Olympic Sport yet. But considering it won the first round of voting so emphatically, there is a great deal of optimism. Rugby 7’s would provide the Olympics and as you have stated more importantly their paymasters the TV Networks with a fast, athletic and immensely entertaining event. One that will rate highly.
And lets not go down the road of kisting players who have not lived up to the ideals of their chosen sport. It’s very dangerous territory. There are codes that have behavioural issues that make your list of Rugby player’s look insignificant. In addition considering the constant contreversies that tends to follow drugs in sport, according to your little piece no sport would be in the Olympics as most if not all have had these issues.
John Ryan said | August 16th 2009 @ 1:27pm | Report comment
Wonder what Lote did,will we ever know,one day WCR your words might just come back to haunt you
onside said | August 16th 2009 @ 3:08pm | Report comment
Maybe missed a drug test, when as always there would have been absolutely nothing to worry about.
TommyM said | August 16th 2009 @ 7:23pm | Report comment
Nonsense. He’s a league player!!
Mr Grumpy said | August 16th 2009 @ 1:22pm | Report comment
WCR,
My point about those players was in response to Viscount’s assertion of picking sports with a “strong moral core”.
In the voting for the 2016 sports, rugby went to the second round before being voted the first sport for possible inclusion.
http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_1453.pdf
If rugby is ratified for inclusion, that will be great for the sport as it needs all the help within Australia. But rugby in Australia needs far more than being in the Olympic summer games to rebound from its current position.
Working Class Rugger said | August 16th 2009 @ 1:49pm | Report comment
Mr Grumpy
I think, well Ihope that Viscount is more or less taking the piss with how he choose’s to post. If not, I’ll agree he sounds rahter pompus.
John Ryan
You haven’t heard the rumour then. I’ll clear it up for you. Solicitian tends to be the theme. Done in the privacy of a hotel room. But supposedly using the ARU corporate Credit card. If true that’s why he has had his contract torn up. It not a conspiracy. The ARU won’t say anything as it can be comsidered as defamation of character and/or slander.
Correct me if I’m wrong but those Rugby player’s have all been dealt with harshly. How many months did Nate Myles cop for defecating in public to name one of a growing list.
sledgeandhammer said | August 16th 2009 @ 2:18pm | Report comment
Believe it not rugby 7s has pretty good support outside of the usual rugby heartlands, with teams such as Kenya doing very well. It also draws big crowds around world (as it did at the Melbourne commonwealth games). It is really suited to the tournament format as you get a number of entertaining, fast paced games played at the one venue. Upsets also occur regularly – and unlike 15s there is a universal appeal – you don’t get huge fat props with cauli ears and no neck, these guys all look like ‘athletes’.
MyGeneration said | August 16th 2009 @ 5:50pm | Report comment
WCR, John Ryan
Give it up, you’re both sounding like juveniles!
Rickety Knees said | August 16th 2009 @ 5:51pm | Report comment
If you believe that this will be good for Rugby in Australia – watch what happens to the game in the USA
Working Class Rugger said | August 16th 2009 @ 6:07pm | Report comment
MyGeneration.
I reserve my right to reply at anything directed toward myself. As for juvenile. Hardly. Compared to some exchanges I have witnessed on The Roar, John Ryan and myself have been down right civilised. If you want to see juvenile behaviour I suggest you watch ABC’s coverage of Question Time.
MyGeneration said | August 16th 2009 @ 6:20pm | Report comment
I’d never suggest using politicians as role models, WCR
Working Class Rugger said | August 16th 2009 @ 6:10pm | Report comment
Rickety
Rugby in the Olympics would give the game the legitimacy it has been eagerly chasing for many, many years now in the US. It would open up greater development pathways and assist in getting Rugby not only High School Varsity status but NCAA accreditation.
Working Class Rugger said | August 16th 2009 @ 6:29pm | Report comment
MyGen
matt0931 said | August 16th 2009 @ 7:21pm | Report comment
I’m a huge rugby nut but personnally I don’t want to see rugby in the olympics, especially 7’s ‘back yard chuck about’ rugby which I do not like very much.
I think the olympics should stick with the simple, out of the ordinary, sports such as sprinting, swimming etc etc.
And what ever happened to the good old ‘tug of war’? Tug of war is still recognised by the IOC as an official sport but is not played anymore in the olympics. Can you imagine how much interest a 15man a side tug of war between teams such as NZ and AUS would generate? Much more than a game of 7 a side chuck about!
TommyM said | August 16th 2009 @ 7:26pm | Report comment
This is the best idea I have ever heard
matt0931 said | August 17th 2009 @ 3:39am | Report comment
More to the point after a bit of research
Tug-of-war was on the Olympic programme in 1900, 1904, 1906 (Intercalated Games), 1908, 1912 and 1920. Tug-of-war was always contested as a part of the track and field athletics programme, although it is now considered a separate sport. The Olympic champions were as follows: 1900: a combined Swedish/Danish team; 1904: an American club team representing the Milwaukee Athletic Club; 1906: Germany/Switzerland; 1908: a British team from the City of London Police Club; 1912: Sweden; and 1920: Great Britain.
BRING BACK THE TUG!
sheek said | August 16th 2009 @ 9:14pm | Report comment
I don’t know what the Olympics is supposed to stand for anymore.
Football & Rugby Union both have their world cups, & numerous other annual comps, so they don’t need to be part of the olympics.
Basketball treats the Olympics as a bit of a lark. The NBA is the biggest annual show in town.
Tennis & Golf have their 4 majors every year, plus numerous other comps. They need to be part of the Olympics like they need a hole in the head.
Anyway, with president Charvez of Venezuela nationalising many supposedly bougious golf courses, we mightn’t expect an Olympics in Caracas any time soon!!!
AndyS said | August 18th 2009 @ 3:39pm | Report comment
My understanding is that the Olympics would take the place of the Sevens WC.
Tom said | August 17th 2009 @ 11:54am | Report comment
Interesting to note that Fiji have never won an Olympic medal.
That’s about to change.
Jameswm said | August 17th 2009 @ 12:02pm | Report comment
When are we going to get an article in here about what Usain Bolt did. How extraordinary was that?
Face Up said | August 17th 2009 @ 12:50pm | Report comment
Bolt will not be considered to have done anything extraordinary until he has signed with an AFL franchise.
Shahsan said | August 17th 2009 @ 8:44pm | Report comment
Outside Australia, nobody cares about AFL. Sorry
Hasbeen said | August 17th 2009 @ 9:06pm | Report comment
If golf is going to be an olympic sport, i think it needs to be in a team format. Events like the presidents cup & the ryder cup show how patriotism gets people more interested in the fate of the team. Whether its matchplay, men & women together etc doesn’t matter, as long as there is a team to support
AndyS said | August 18th 2009 @ 3:48pm | Report comment
My expectation is that, as an Olympic sport, Sevens would be open to all comers. I would think League players in particular would be considered, as the transition would be next to seamless.
I’ll be interested to see what effect Sevens inclusion will have on Union…does anyone know how handball has progressed in Australia having been included in the last ten Olympics?
Dean said | August 18th 2009 @ 8:53pm | Report comment
The Cowboys sent a team to the rugby union sevens tournament in Darwin a few years ago and got hammered.
Transition not so seamless.Would take a lot of training to get used to the game for the average league player,ball is in play a lot more,game virtually non stop,no stopping at every tackle.