World Rugby delivers Olympics 7s lifeline
The Fiji Airways Fijian 7s and Fijiana 7s teams can apply for $209K ( FJD) each from World Rugby to boost its preparation for the Tokyo Olympic Games in July.
This was after World Rugby yesterday announced a $5.18m (FJD) fund to support already-qualified Olympic teams.
The Fijian men and the Australia’s women’s sides claimed the gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
World Rugby said it was hoping to restart the sevens series in Hong Kong and Singapore in April 2021, while regional events between teams from Oceania – possibly in a ‘bubble’ – have been proposed as a way for teams to get in form ahead of the delayed Tokyo Games
The 2021 Sydney-Hamilton Sevens tournaments have been cancelled, five months out from its scheduled start date.
Planning for the Olympic Repechage final qualification event in the first half of 2021 is ongoing. With 21 of the 24 teams already qualified for the Olympics, the remaining two women’s and one men’s spots will be determined at the final qualification event. Rugby sevens is expected to be one of the hottest tickets of the Tokyo Games, following the record breaking success of Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan, which captured the nation’s hearts, filled stadiums and created millions of passionate new rugby fans and participants across Japan and Asia.
The inclusion of rugby sevens for the first time in the Olympic Games at Rio 2016 had a profound effect on the sport, attracting an estimated 30 million new fans globally.
In a statement, World Rugby CEO Brett
Gosper said: “Rugby sevens is a key priority for World Rugby in our mission to grow the global game and we are pleased to be able to share details of this new investment. Combined with the ongoing contingency work on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2021 and a supplementary international competition strategy, this will ensure that Olympic qualified teams have the necessary training and high-level competition opportunities to optimise their performance and light up the biggest sporting stage at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.”