Wales celebrate winning the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens crown in Dubai © Getty Images

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The International Rugby Board have announced that Russia will stage the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens.

International Rugby Board chairman Bernard Lapasset made the announcement at today's annual IRB Council meeting in London. Three years after the World Cup in Russia, Sevens will feature at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero with the battle for the gold medal set to become the pinnacle of the shortened version of the game.

"Council Members were extremely impressed with the Rugby Union of Russia bid, and we are sure that Moscow will host a special tournament for the 24 men's and 16 women's teams and the thousands of visiting fans from all around the world," said Lapasset.

"Moscow has an exceptional history of delivering major international sports events, and rugby is riding a wave of development in Russia thanks to the Olympic Games decision and their historic qualification for Rugby World Cup 2011."

Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 will be the sixth Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament with the inaugural tournament held in Scotland in 1993 followed by tournament in Hong Kong (1997), Argentina (2001), Hong Kong (2005) and Dubai (2009) where Wales claimed the title. The announcement also comes on the eve of the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy in Moscow, the first IRB fifteen-a-side tournament to be held in the country.

"Moscow has an exceptional history of delivering major international sports events and Rugby is riding a wave of development in Russia thanks to the Olympic Games decision and their historic qualification for Rugby World Cup 2011. I am sure that this will be another memorable and successful sporting spectacle," added Lapasset.

Rugby Union of Russia president Vyacheslav Kopiev said that it was a proud moment for his Union and the growth of the Game. "It is wonderful news to be selected as Host Union for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013," said Kopiev. "The appointment to host Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 is of enormous significance to Russian Rugby. We are grateful for the trust that the International Rugby Board has shown us and accept this appointment with pride, passion and respect for the responsibilities that we will be undertaking on behalf of world Rugby."

The decision by the International Olympic Committee to include Rugby Sevens in the Olympic Games, beginning in Rio in 2016, has provided an enormous boost to the Game and planning is under way by the IRB on the required qualification process for international teams. This forms part of a major overhaul of the existing IRB Sevens Strategic Plan, a collaborative process with all Unions that will outline the blueprint for the further growth of the Game around the world in recognition of this significant development.

"Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 in Dubai raised the bar for this tournament and ultimately provided a platform for Olympic Games inclusion particularly the inaugural Women's Rugby World Cup Sevens. Significant crowds of 80,000 people attended across the three competition days, with the event broadcast to over 760 million people in 141 countries, smashing all previous tournament records," added Lapasset.