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Should rugby league be included in the Commonwealth Games?

James Fozard new author
Roar Rookie
22nd October, 2013
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Could Greg Inglis be donning Australian colours in the Commonwealth Games?
James Fozard new author
Roar Rookie
22nd October, 2013
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With Rugby Sevens already accepted as a ‘core’ sport, it’s worth investigating whether rugby league – which is already a ‘recognised’ sport – be included in the Commonwealth Games as an ‘optional’ sport?

Criteria set out by the Commonwealth Games Federation must be followed when selecting additional sports, so let’s take a look at them one by one.

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Participation levels within the Commonwealth
Australia: 466,182 players
England: 248,645
New Zealand: 24,000
Papua New Guinea: 15,000
Tonga: 2,000
Samoa: 320
South Africa: 20-plus domestic club sides
Wales: 14 domestic club sides
Fiji: 12 domestic club sides, although nation currently suspended from Commonwealth
Scotland: nine domestic club sides
Cook Islands: seven domestic club sides
(Figures are approximations only.)

Of the 15 full members of the Rugby League International Federation, 11 are Commonwealth nations. A number of other nations, including Canada, Jamaica and Malta, have the potential to become full members of the RLIF in the short to medium term.

Ten of the 13 teams at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup are Commonwealth nations, while international tournaments sanctioned by the International Federation have been hosted by Australia, New Zealand, England, Wales (all Four Nations), Scotland (European Cup), Papua New Guinea (Pacific Cup) and Canada (Colonial Cup).

Excellence
This relates to sports and events that have high profile Commonwealth athletes capable of excellence, with world-class performances and a supportive relationship with the International Federation.

Excellence is measured by number of medallists and participants from Commonwealth nations at World Championships.

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All thirteen World Cups held since the founding of the tournament in 1954 have been won by Commonwealth nations. In the last World Cup in 2008, eight of the 10 teams were Commonwealth nations, including all of the top five based on final rankings.

All twenty of the top rugby league players at any one time are likely to come from Commonwealth nations – another key criteria for Commonwealth Games inclusion.

All thirteen of the players selected in the Rugby League World Magazine‘s World XIII for 2012 hail from the Commonwealth.

The same can be said of all 22 winners of the same magazine’s annual Golden Boot award, which was founded in 1984.

Best endeavours
A ‘best endeavours’ agreement would also be required by the RLIF, ensuring it does not hold World Championships or other major fixtures within two weeks of the Commonwealth Games.

Forthcoming (and future) rugby league World Cups and Four Nations tournaments are likely to take place in October/November, while Commonwealth Games traditionally take place in northern summer.

Australian and UK grand finals are also unlikely to clash with Commonwealth Games.

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Equity
A factor that will be taken into account is that the programme provides a balanced participation profile for males and females;

The fourth Wwomen’s Rugby League World Cup was held in England in 2013. Five of the seven participating teams were Commonwealth nations, including the winners Australia.

Although recent figures are not available at the time of writing, at the beginning of the 2006 season there were between 30 and 40 female-only rugby league clubs in England, not including clubs that have teams of both sexes.

Marketability (including television, sponsorship and spectator appeal)
The Australian Rugby League Commission has a TV deal worth A$1.025 billion over five years, sponsorship from Telstra, Holden, VB, XXXX and Harvey Norman.

In 2010, Fox Sports coverage of National Rugby League games held 73 out of the top 100 programs of any type aired by Foxtel.

UK Rugby Football League has a TV deal worth A$155 million, sponsorship from Gillette, Tetley’s and Kingstone Press, and 2,191,700 spectators in 2011.

Sport hosting/participation costs
Cost should be identical to Rugby Sevens (already a core sport), so unlikely to prevent inclusion.

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Taking all of those factors into account, is there a case for the Commonwealth Games Federation Sports Committee to approve rugby league as an optional sport?

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