New Delhi: Elated with the International Olympic Committee's decision to include Rugby Sevens in the 2016 Games, Rugby India Vice President Aga Hussain said the country's players would aim for a medal at the quadrennial extravaganza.
"We are very happy with the inclusion of the game in the Olympics, which is the third most popular sports in the world with around four billion viewers," Aga Hussain, Vice President, Indian Rugby Union Federation told reporters.
"At last, the IOC HAS recognised the global appeal of the game. Indians will try to win a medal at the big event," said Hussain.
Rugby is immensely popular in Commonwealth countries like England and Australia, considered the traditional powerhouses of the game.
The IOC executive board, in its recently held meeting in Berlin, decided to recommend Golf and Rugby Sevens for inclusion in the 2016 Summer Games. The two sports will be added upon approval of the IOC assembly in Copenhagen on Oct 9.
IOC President Jacques Rogge has said: "Golf and rugby scored high on all the criteria. They have global appeal, a geographically diverse line-up of top iconic athletes and an ethic that stresses fair play."
Bureau Report
First Published: Sunday, August 23, 2009, 17:12