New Zealand and Fiji battle it out for the gold medal at the 2023 Asian Games while Australia and Samoa go for bronze.
This is a very real possibility following this week’s announcement by Asia’s Olympic chief Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, who said Oceania could become part of the Asian Games in the not-too-distant future.
Oceania has already been invited by their Asian counterparts to compete at the next Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games to be held in the Turkmenistan capital of Ashgabat in 2017. Entry into the Asian Games might follow, with Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) president Sheikh Ahmad saying it will be a “step-by-step” process.
So what does the Asian Rugby Football Union think about it all? We asked Trevor Gregory to share his thoughts and, because he said it would obviously lift the standard of competition, his first response was: “Great.”
However, Gregory also voiced concerns on a number of fronts. Firstly, would this sound the death knell for other Asian National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to send their rugby sevens teams, and would the rugby discipline – first played at the 1998 Bangkok Asiad – transform from being an Asian Games competition into an Oceania Games one?
“As it is we have only 12 NOCs represented in the rugby sevens competition in Incheon. What would happen if we find powerful sides like New Zealand and Fiji turning up? Will this discourage the Asian teams from participating?” Gregory asked.
If that was the case, it would lead to the end of rugby sevens as a medal sport at the Asian Games.
The other worry for Gregory is more parochial and Hong Kong focused. Winning a medal at the Asian Games is one of the two criteria needed for continued support by the Hong Kong Sports Institute [HKSI]. Rugby sevens became an elite sport last April and there are now close to 50 athletes – male and female – who are part of the elite programme.
What would happen if the bar was suddenly raised at the Asian Games and the criteria of winning a medal – the other criteria is to qualify for the Olympics – suddenly got much tougher. Could Hong Kong defeat the likes of New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa and Australia at a future Asiad?
“Bringing in Oceania will mean less chance of Hong Kong winning a medal. Then what will happen to our status at the HKSI?” Gregory asked. “It is one thing to win a medal against the rest of Asia, and another against sides like New Zealand and Fiji.
“It will be great to play against these top sides, but then the HKRFU would have to talk to the people at the [HKSI] and say these changes will have an impact on the criteria for elite status as far as rugby sevens is concerned.”
It is still early days, but already the Australian Olympic Committee has said they would welcome becoming part of the Asian Games.
While only time will tell what impact Sheikh Ahmad’s revelations will have on sports policy, Gregory says he will sound out the rest of the Asian rugby community at the next ARFU get-together in November.
Let’s hope they say no. The Asian Games is for Asians and it must remain that way.
And let’s hope, too, that every rugby union in Asia will carry the message to their individual NOCs, and ultimately to the OCA … Oceania is not welcome.
