Sevens get Olympic extension
The recommendation, which will be considered at IOC Session in Lima in September, is an endorsement for Sevens, which was considered by many as one of the stand-out highlights on debut at the Rio Games.
During six action-packed days, the world's top men's and women's sevens stars inspired a new generation of fans and participants worldwide with a recent Nielsen report highlighting a 16.8 million fan-base lift in six surveyed markets following Rio, while the total worldwide fan-base has propelled to more than 300 million.
It was the most socially engaged rugby sevens event of all time.
The global rugby family has taken to social media to mark the recommendation using the #Rugby7s, expressing excitement and celebrating the sevens success story.
"While the IOC Session will ultimately consider this recommendation, World Rugby, like the entire global rugby family, is very excited by the executive board's recommendation," World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont said.
"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.
"We now await the decision of the IOC Session and continue to be fully committed to the Olympic Charter and the highest standards of anti-doping as we look to what promises to be a spectacular Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and, hopefully, beyond."
