Kenyan long distance legend and International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, Kipchoge Keino, has disclosed that rugby stands good chance of being added to the 2016 Olympics roster. Speaking at a function where the country's President, Mwai Kibaki, led his government in hosting the nation's rugby sevens team, Keino said the game was a strong contender of being accorded Olympic status for the 2016 Games.

"As an IOC Council member, it is not appropriate for me to campaign for the addition of any sport with seven disciplines competing for inclusion in the 2016 Olympics but rugby has a good case," said Keino, who won Olympic gold at 1968 (1,500m) and 1972 (3,000m steeplechase) Games.

Baseball and softball that were dropped from the Olympics program in 2005, karate, squash, golf, roller sports are competing with rugby union to be included in among the 26 sports that will be competed.

The fate of the applicants will be known at the October 9 IOC Congress in Denmark where the host city for the 2016 Games will be unveiled.

Kenya sevens team captain, Humphrey Kayange, who missed Monday's fete has travelled to Switzerland as part of a team lobbying for inclusion of rugby as an Olympics sport.

At the luncheon where the sevens side received about 32,000 U.S. dollars in reward from the country's Tourism Board, President Kibaki hailed the team's sterling performance.

He noted that finishing third at the Rugby Sevens World Cup and sixth at International Rugby Board (IRB) sevens series standings in the just concluded season was indication that it was among the best worldwide.

【体坛英语资讯：Rugby may be added to 2016 Olympics roster: Kenyan official】相关文章：

★ 体坛英语资讯：Trail Blazers hand 12th defeat to slumping Heat

★ 体坛英语资讯：Brazil does not need a number nine, says Dunga

★ 体坛英语资讯：Mourning career likely over after knee injury

★ 娱乐英语资讯：TV gala helps raise 1.5 bln yuan for earthquake-hit areas

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Wedding bells not far off for Pamela Anderson

★ 体坛英语资讯：Wang Nan still has something to prove

★ 体坛资讯：China race into Sudirman Cup final

★ 体坛资讯：Late starters face uphill task in China

★ 体坛英语资讯：Host China need consistency to face Russia at FIVB Grand Prix Finals

★ 体坛英语资讯：Croatia bullish, Germany relieved at Euro 2008