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Russia to host 2013 World Cup Sevens

Wednesday 12 May 2010 (UR7s)

The IRB Council has confirmed that they have awarded the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 to Russia. 

IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset made the announcement at the Annual Meeting of Council in London on Tuesday afternoon, closing a comprehensive tender process for Rugby Sevens' showpiece event. 

Russia was the only nation who formally submitted its tender for the right to host RWC 2013, following original interest from seven other nations in staging the tournament. 

"We are delighted to announce that Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 will be hosted by Russia," said Lapasset.

"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."

"As Rugby continues its rapid global development reaching out to new audiences around the world, the hosting of this world class Rugby event in Russia will provide a massive boost for the development of the Game across the region, delivering widespread TV exposure within Russia and across the world."

The event is set is set to attract worldwide interest and hype as the countdown continues to rugby sevens’ Olympic debut at Rio de Janiero in 2016. 

With the IRB keen to make an Olympic gold medal the pinnacle achievement in rugby sevens, the World Cup format could well be scrapped post 2013.

The announcement 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.
 

‘Enormous significance to Russian Rugby’

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."

"We believe the appointment to host Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 will, on top of Russia's qualification for Rugby World Cup 2011 and the admission of Rugby into the Olympics, ignite the future of Russian Rugby. The Rugby Union of Russia, with the support of our Government, is committed to achieving our vision, that of Russia becoming a major Rugby nation capable of competing on the world stage."

"I would like to express gratitude to our partners, the City of Moscow and the Russian Federal Government and to my colleagues within the Rugby Union of Russia who have worked so hard on putting our bid document and campaign together."

Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 will be the sixth RWC Sevens and the first in Europe following the inaugural tournament in Scotland in 1993.

Since then Hong Kong (1997), Argentina (2001), Hong Kong (2005) and Dubai (2009) have hosted the event.
"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. 

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.
 

Tagged in this article: Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009

COMMENTS

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Manuel Cabral Thu 13 May 2010 01:15

There is no previous statement from the IRB that the format or the event itself will be scrapped after the RC 2013. The only statement being that the Olympic Tournament will become the pinnacle of the game. That, by itself does not imply any change or closure to the RWC 7's, and it only means that on rugby hierarchie Olympics are above the World Cup. It can be shown to the world by, for instance, qualifying the winner (and runner -up or not) to the Olympic Games. This weekend a meeting will take place in Dublin where the future of sevens will be discussed, and it is of the maximum importance that attendants to this meeting support the idea of the maintenance of RWC 7's in first place. In second place it woul be of the major importance if the idea of playing the Olympics with 24 male teams and 16 female as the participation of 12 teams was questioned during the final presentation to the IOC and the IRB accepted the idea of reviewing this format.

There is no previous statement from the IRB that the format or the event itself will be scrapped after the RC 2013.
The only statement being that the Olympic Tournament will become the pinnacle of the game.
That, by itself does not imply any change or closure to the RWC 7's, and it only means that on rugby hierarchie Olympics are above the World Cup. 
It can be shown to the world by, for instance, qualifying the winner (and runner -up or not) to the Olympic Games.
This weekend a meeting will take place in Dublin where the future of sevens will be discussed, and it is of the maximum importance that attendants to this meeting support the idea of the maintenance of RWC 7's in first place.
In second place it woul be of the major importance if the idea of playing the Olympics with 24 male teams and 16 female as the participation of 12 teams was questioned during the final presentation to the IOC and the IRB accepted the idea of reviewing this format.
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