Rio 2016 look to Maracana as potential Rugby Sevens venue

From James Toney, Sportsbeat, in Copenhagen

RIO 2016 officials are investigating staging the first-ever Olympic Rugby Sevens tournament at the world-famous Maracana.

STUNNING: Rio's Maracana was a key part of their successful 2016 Olympic bid. Could it stage the first-ever Rugby Sevens tournament

Rugby Sevens will be formally ratified as an Olympic sport at the International Olympic Committee's annual Session in Copenhagen next week.

It was recommended by the organisation's Executive Board in Berlin in August and needs a simple majority of the IOC members to back it at a vote next Friday.

Officials from the International Rugby Board have already arrived in Denmark for a week of last-ditch lobbying but senior IOC members are confident Sevens will be adopted.

Rio's surprise success in the 2016 race could have been seen as bad news  - with a stronger rugby heritage in the countries of bid rivals Chicago, Madrid and Tokyo.

But Rio's campaign was masterminded by Mike Lee, the former head of communications at UEFA, who is credited with being one of the powers behind London's 2012 bid.

And Lee's impeccable Olympic contacts mean he has also been engaged by the IRB to help hammer home the cause of Rugby Sevens.

Meanwhile, Rio 2016 officials insist they want to deliver a ‘stunning backdrop' for the first-ever Sevens tournament.

The 90,000 capacity Estádio do Maracanã is already at the centre of Rio's bid - and will stage the opening and closing ceremonies and football finals.

And officials believe they can fit a three-day Sevens competition into the schedule, especially as athletics events will be held elsewhere at the Joao Havelange Stadium.

"The beauty of the two sports that have been proposed for inclusion at the 2016 Games is we already have the facilities to stage them - so the additional budget required would be minimal," said Brazilian sports minister Orlando Silva.

"The Maracana or Joao Havelange Stadium would certainly be the ideal options but it depends on scheduling and, of course, this week's IOC decision."

IRB officials are also planning making major investments in developing rugby in Brazil - and could stage a leg of their lucrative Sevens World Series in Rio in a bid to increase the sport's profile.

Despite the strength of the game in neighbouring Argentina and Uruguay, the Brazilian national team has never qualified for the World Cup.

The women's team is stronger, with their Sevens squad playing in the World Cup in Dubai earlier this year, where they lost to China in the bowl final.