Sevens stays at Olympics until 2024

Cape Town - World Rugby was celebrating on Friday with the news that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had given Sevens the nod to remain an Olympic sport until at least the 2024 Games. 

Having featured at the Olympics for the first time in Rio last year, Sevens was due to be played at Tokyo 2020 too. 

But now the IOC have announced that it will also feature part of the schedule at the 2024 Olympics. The host city for that year is yet to be determined. 

The IOC also announced new sports for the 2020 Games in the form of three-versus-three basketball as well as freestyle BMX. 

Golf, which also featured at the 2016 Olympics, will also remain until 2024. 

“I would like to thank the IOC President Thomas Bach and the IOC Executive Board for placing their continued trust in rugby, and our national member unions, players and passionate fans for making sevens the best it can possibly be," World Rugby president Bill Beaumont said.