DECISION 2016: Rogge and Coubertin united in rugby's Olympic ambition

PIERRE de Coubertin would not recognise the International Olympic Committee now presided over by Jacques Rogge.

RUGBY LOVERS: Founder of the modern Olympics Pierre de Coubertin and current IOC President Jacques Rogge (Getty Images)

His first Olympic congress - held at the Palais de Sorbonne to restablish the revival of the Games - was attended by just 78 delegates from nine countries.

In contrast, this week's gathering at a soulless convention centre under the flight path of Copenhagen airport, has been attended by more than 4,000 delegates, from over 200 countries.

But the pair share a common bond that goes beyond their respective leaderships of the IOC.

Both have a lifelong love of rugby and now, 92 years after the sport was dropped, to de Coubertin's disgust, Rogge is set to preside over its triumphant return at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The founder of the modern Olympic movement was a hardcore devotee of the game, establishing rugby in his native France and refereeing the first-ever French international game at the Parc de Princes in 1906.

Six years earlier, he introduced the sport at the 1900 Olympics in Paris.

The hosts won gold beating Great Britain, a team made up entirely from members of Mosley Wanderers, and Germany.

They also included Constantin Henriquez de Zubiera in their team - the first known black athlete to compete at the Olympics.

Four years later, in London, Australia beat Great Britain for the title while the USA won gold at the 1920 Games in Antwerp and again four years later in Paris.

However, de Coubertin's decision to step down as President of the International Olympic Committee in 1925 robbed rugby of its strongest supporter, although it was staged as an exhibition sport in Berlin 11 years later.

Indeed, until tomorrow, the biggest impact the sport has had on the Olympics was the fall-out from the All Blacks tour of South Africa in 1976, which led to 22 African countries and Guyana boycotting the Montreal Games after the IOC refused to exclude New Zealand.

Rugby has made previously attempts to gain Olympic status - and got close four years ago when they came back with a sevens bid, as opposed to previous campaigns with the 15-man code.

Like de Coubertin, Rogge has made no secret that rugby is his first sporting love.

Despite appearing at three Olympics in sailing, the orthopedic surgeon was also a handy back for the Belgian national team and follows both the international and European club game closely.

He even criticised teams at the recent World Cup in France for their lack of creative play - a rare controversial comment from a man not known for going off script.

Tomorrow Rogge's colleagues will reaffirm him in his role as IOC President for another four-year term and will also vote on the inclusion of his favourite sport.

The first vote is a formality - he is running unopposed - but the second could be an interesting alternative referendum on Rogge's position within the Olympic movement after eight years at the helm.

If rugby fails to gain the 57 votes it needs, it will be a major snub to the Belgian, who hailed to the decision of his Executive Board to recommend the sport for inclusion earlier this year, subject to the support of the full IOC membership.

"Rugby sevens is a spectacular sport," he said. "It's very dynamic and that a format that is all about a 15-minute match.

"It's a short, quick format with lots of scoring and it's easier to understand that the 15-man code.

"And there are also many countries that could win the title."

Rio's iconic Maracana has already been mooted as a potential venue, should sevens receive its rubber-stamp.

The rugby world, unlike golf - the other sport on the verge of Olympic status - has rallied around the campaign, Jonah Lomu is just one of the former players in Copenhagen pressing the case.

But success will owe much to Rogge - and the legacy of the visionary de Coubertin.

 

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