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Sevens should bring curtains down at Rio

Tags:  ,     Posted date:  August 13, 2012  |  No comment



Sevens can be Olympic penultimate

By Tupuola Terry Tavita

London 2012 is certainly missing something. Despite organizers efforts to wrap up with a bang closing ceremony, the games sort of fizzled out the last few days.

The post-Games blues had well and truly set in the last 48 hours. There was really nothing much for viewers, fans and athletes to look forward to. Closing Ceremonies tend to be a dour anticlimax with hosts and athletes trying to pick themselves up and have pretend fun.

But all this can change if the International Olympic Committee and the Rio organizers decide to put rugby sevens in the last two days of competition.

There are many benefits to doing this.

  1. Most athletes head back home after their events freeing up room at the Olympic village for the 500-plus sevens players and officials. It alleviates the crowding problems that plague the Olympics in recent years. Rugby players don’t have to be there at the Opening Ceremony.
  2. Holding the sevens event at the beginning of the Olympics programme potentially can ruin the main field for the following track and field programme. What of boots and cleats?
  3. Sevens is an all-day affair and would be a squeeze for tv coverage with other high profile events such as swimming, boxing and weightlifting,
  4. There is no party like a sevens party with fans turning up in fancy dress and livening things up all day. What bigger party, what better atmosphere to finish off the games?

Now over to Rio?


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