Rugby up the ante to gain re-inclusion in Olympic Games

Rugby bosses have upped the ante in their mission for the sport to gain re-inclusion into the Olympic Games.

The International Rugby Board has submitted its response to the International Olympic Committee's 2016 programme review questionnaire - outlining the IRB’s proposal for rugby's return to sport’s largest event.

If successful, it would see Sevens rugby played as an official Olympic medal sport.

Divided into nine chapters, the IRB's submission to the questionnaire provides answers to 80 questions relating to rugby's proposal to the IOC.

This includes topics like rugby’s history and tradition, universality and popularity of the sport, fair play and refereeing, athlete welfare, global development of the game, governance and finance.

"Our submission to the Questionnaire comes with the full support of the Rugby Family, many of whom have been involved in providing these answers," IRB president Bernard Lapasset said.

“This submission sets out our technical bid but it also paints our vision and aims to illustrate to the Olympic Family why we firmly believe that Rugby Sevens' unique attributes would make Olympic re-inclusion good for rugby and good for the Olympic Games.”

Rugby was originally introduced to the Olympic Games by Pierre de Coubertin in 1900 and continued to be played at the 1908, 1920 and 1924 Games.