Bernard Lapasset

International Rugby Board President Bernard Lapasset presented an update Wednesday on the progress of Rugby Sevens to an assembled audience of international sports stakeholders at the Global Sports Forum in Barcelona.

The International Olympic Committee’s decision to include Rugby Sevens in the Olympic Games just five months ago at their session in Copenhagen provided a tremendous boost to rugby and the enthusiasm felt across the rugby family at the time is already delivering visible progress around the world.

Lapasset, who successfully led the IRB team in their Olympic inclusion campaign, said: “Not only has the popularity of Rugby Sevens further accelerated since the IOC’s decision with visibly increased attendance and broadcast figures for the opening rounds of the 2009/10 IRB Sevens World Series, we are also already witnessing significant developments in key new markets such as China and Russia.

“We are committed to ensuring that all our Unions have access to a development and tournament pathway that optimizes the effects of Olympic Games inclusion.

“We are encouraging our National Unions to actively collaborate with their local governments and National Olympic Committees to develop strategies to foster the inclusion of rugby in school curriculums and access to enhanced funding structures.

“We will be meeting with the IOC again in May and look forward to providing further progress reports of Sevens success as we continue to build towards 2016.”