Rugby and golf get Olympic vote

(GETTY IMAGES)

Rugby sevens and golf were today confirmed as new Olympic sports for the 2016 Games.

The International Olympic Committee voted in favour of both sports becoming part of the programme in Rio de Janeiro and in 2020.

IOC president Jacques Rogge said: "Congratulations to both federations. We all look forward to great competition in 2016 and 2020."

Rugby had 81 votes in favour and eight against, and golf 63 in favour and 27 against.

There was some opposition with Dick Pound, from Canada, arguing that the 106 members had not been given the opportunity to vote on the five sports including squash and karate who had been excluded earlier this year by the IOC's executive board.

Pound said: "The fact is we were not allowed to consider all seven sports.

"That's a mistake, it's not fair to the other five sports, and because we do not know why this was decided it is not a transparent process.

"The session was asking for guidance not a decision that would be take it or leave it."

Peter Dawson, acting president of the International Golf Federation, had to go on the defensive after American IOC member Anita DeFrantz questioned why golf clubs such as Augusta were allowed to be male only.

Dawson said: "We are aware that golf has a reputation for this but it is important to give the facts - we have 60million golfers in the world of whom 25% are women. Single sex clubs for men or indeed for women make up 0.5% and is reducing, and inclusion in the Olympic Games will further consolidate the equality of the sport."

Padraig Harrington and Michelle Wie both stressed that, given the opportunity, they would stay in the athletes' Village during the Games.

Harrington said: "I can see nothing better than being in the Olympic Village, living there and experiencing what the athletes go through. That's the highest point of the Olympics apart from the competition."

Both sports will be reviewed at the IOC session in 2017, the year after the Rio Games, before a final decision is taken that they can take part in 2020 too.

Jonah Lomu, the legendary New Zealand player, had earlier told IOC members that all top rugby players would want to play in the Olympic sevens tournament.