Rogge plays down Olympic hopes
PA Sport
October 30, 2007

Jacques Rogge has warned that rugby sevens faces "an uphill battle" to be included at future Olympic Games.

The International Olympic Committee president, a former rugby union player for his native Belgium, has revealed the 15-a-side format has no chance of Olympics status, while sevens faces stiff competition from other sports.

Rogge, who sailed at three Olympics for his country but always preferred rugby, is thought to be sympathetic to the sport's cause.

But he was critical of the recent World Cup in France, telling the BBC: ``It was a good World Cup in terms of the public attention, but I'm not happy about the quality of play.

``I am passionate about rugby but I think that the game has to evolve to keep its appeal. Defence has taken precedence over attack.

``(At the Rugby World Cup) play went from one maul, to another maul, to another maul, waiting for a penalty to be blown.

``I think the law-makers have to think about making the game more open, probably by working on a quicker liberation of the ball in rucks.''

Two years ago, sevens failed to win enough support to gain admittance for the London 2012 games.

Rogge said of the format: ``The top is far broader in sevens, and you don't have the huge margins of victory you get in 15s - that would be good for the Olympic tournament.

Of the 15-a-side version, the 55-year-old believes the necessary recovery time between matches would make its inclusion unworkable.

``Unlike football, you cannot play rugby every third day. The Olympics are only 16 days long so 15s are not an option,'' Rogge said,

``Sevens could be. It is definitely a candidate. But there are other sports that want to join the programme, so let's wait and see.''

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