7 a side rugby league instead of RU should be in next Olympics

[LJC]

Can't help but wonder why rugby union gets the status of having its rules and recognition admitted into the Olympics instead of rugby league. For what it is worth, rugby union has underhandedly propagated its code on a world wide basis through its "friends" in high places.
If people/general public were aware of the devious tactics employed by this code of rugby(union) especially to the detriment of rugby league's growth, I'm sure their would be second thoughts in admitting such a code to represent "rugby" to the Olympic games.
Rugby League Sevens style offers much more avenue for seeing more running with the ball and tackling than the union version. This is obviously the case when comparing the games at full numbers eg:13 a side as to 15 a side. The Olympic status gives the code of rugby union a form of credibility it does not deserve. But I suppose this code is using its "friends" in high places once again!

 

[Willow]

A little under the word limit.

 

[Skinner]

Lol

 

[Willow]

I think there's definite potential. A captain should send LJC a PM. By golly... if I were a few years younger I'd be on the case...

 

[LJC]

It's a fair call fellas!
May be I'm being a bit too positive about our game, but there's a big story about the repression of rugby league(if anyone would care to look into it) and this is just an example of the power play that rugby union has in the top end of town.
Once again, "Why not RL7s in the Olympics?"
It's a fair point!

 

[Willow]

It's a great point LJC and I'm keen for you to elaborate.

I reckon F7s in the Olympics is the go. I might be past it for the other events.

 

[LJC]

Willow.
There are many examples of how the "establishment"(big end of town/educational system-private schools and union administrators) whom have friends in high places have repressed and stopped the development of rugby league as a sport around the world.

One historical example comes from France. To briefly summarise: Rugby league was introduced to France in 1934 and was fast becoming the preferred rugby code within a 6 year period. When France was invaded by the Nazis in 1941 ,the Germans replaced the socialist government with a conservative government. This conservative government based in Vichy, was lobbied by French rugby uniuon administrators to ban the game of rugby league. They argued that rugby league was a deviant form of rugby and the fact it was a sport seen to be alligned with the socialist movement. The ban was legislated and enforced in 1941. All the rugby league club's grounds and assets were taken and it was illegal to play rugby league. The existing players were allowed to "repent" and play rugby union if they wished.

You might think that this occured some time ago, but this does have a massive impact on a sport.

To this day, the French rugby league have,on occasions, been seeking compensation from the government but have been warned off this path by the prevailing rugby union administration!
I have other examples from South Africa and Ireland, but I'm sure there are many others around the world. The private education system is another area in which rugby union has preffered status to the detriment of rugby league.

Another point is, "Why does rugby league have to squibble and fight for a decent TV rights deal when it is obvious that the sport is the highest rating product on television? Needless to figure, that the game does not have "friends" in the big end of town, where, dare I suggest, alot of private school educated people are employed and have leanings toward sports that they were exposed to during their schooling years!

I could go on, but their's an elaboration for you.

 

[madunit]

There's two main criteria that need to be met before a sport can be considered for the Olympics.

*There is a set minimum number that has to be met for the number of countries capable of participating in the event

*It must be a demonstration sport before it can be considered as a permanent fixture at future games.

 

[LJC]

Understand, and I think you would agree that the difficulties that rugby league has faced over the years has made Olympic status extremely difficult!

Perhaps discussing the repression of our game might be a more positive tact.

Hopefully someone will start to see this unfair treatment of RL and some real action can take place.

I would suggest that the international rugby league set up a compensation challenge on behalf of the French RL to get back the massive loss of assets and status as a result of devious actions in the past. Perhaps a class action action may be appropriate?

Apparently the government has admitted the wrong doing to the game of rugby league but the French rugby union keep warning off the French RL to pursue any further action.

This to my of thinking is still underhanded,deceitfull and bullying to the nth degree!

The French rugby union are very scared of rugby league as it is ultimately a better game to play and watch.

Otherwise,I cannot see why the French RU persist in warning the French RL to not chase for compensation. I suggest it would be an immense amount of money! And this would give RL a great war chest to develop its game to its rightful status that was so deceitfully taken away from it in 1941.

If what I suggest comes to fruition, a rugby league sevens tournament will become a reality in the Olympics in the future.

At the moment the game of RL is being held back by elements that do not want to see this great game thrive, particularly the administration of RU on a world wide scale.

To put it bluntly: They(RU adminstrators-the bad ones) are shit scared of it!

 

[Willow]

Part of it is that Union was an amateur sport (often in name only) while League has always been openly professional. I know the Olympics has changed its attitude towards this and professionals can now compete, but it would've helped to give Union a leg up.

The collaborationist Vichy government are well known on these boards. I'm sure there's a few F7s articles about the treatment of the XIII game in France.

A blast from the past. Terracesider wrote an excellent piece about it in 2003: http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showthread.php?p=263816
The article is made more important because many of the sources used are now out of print.

The LU search function brought up quite a few: http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/search.php?searchid=622518

 

[madunit]

The French Govt did acknowledge that Rugby League had been unfairly treated under Vichy rule, however they stopped short of apologising or considering any form of recompense. The Chirac Govt I believe it was, had an affirmation with apologising to all people, groups etc for the wrongs committed by Vichy. By the time it was RL's turn for an apology, he had been voted out and replaced by Sarcozy, who made it abundantly clear that he would be offerring no more apologies for wrongs committed by Vichy.

Because of the strong anti-professional sport propoaganda used by Vichy, especially directed at RL, it's practically ingrained in the population that RL is bad.

On an international level, the game has declined, quite simply in my view, because of the self-interest and preservation of both the NRL and the English Superleague.

It would require both competitions to open their eyes to promoting the game globally again, as their predecessors did before 1996/Superleague.

 

[LJC]

That's part the puzzle. But it goes deeper than that.

If you look at the establishment advantages that a sport like rugby union has over rugby league throughout the world, then you will see what is really going on! Keep in mind that many rugby union people are from affluent parts of the world and are therefore well travelled. Their is a natural inclination to foster the code of rugby union and not rugby league. What is more concerning is the many efforts of RU administrators around the world to stop the development. or for that matter. the introduction of rugby league into any area!

With the onset of complete professionalism, all codes should be allowed to have a go. This is not the case for rugby league. In fact, look at Australia, most private schools only offer rugby union as the chosen football code whereas both rugby union and rugby league is available in public schools. It's quite easy for a private school to offer and encourage rugby league as they already have the basic assets-fields, posts training equipment in place, but this is not happening!

As a result of this one sided stance from the private school system, rugby league is marginalised despite being the outright popular football code, especially on TV. This is reflected in yesterday's sub standard TV rights deal. The game should not be subject to such poor financial backing but it does not have friends in high places! It even had to forgo some major pluses for the games exposure in order to reach the $1billion figure! (late Grandfinal timeslot etc)

I just hope that the powers that be are biding their time(5 years of consolidation and planning for additional teams through expansion in 2018.etc) They should be ready to pounce at this time with aggressive promoting and growing of the game.

The French scenario should be looked at from a human rights aspect. I'm sure if the administrators were well advised that this tact would more than likely have merit. It is well documented and is a very arguable case. The cause and effect is there for all to see. Not enough has been made of this disgracefull thing that happened to rugby league in France.

To this day, it is the French Rugby union that is warning off rugby league to pursue compensation! Wonder why? Perhaps because rugby league has a case!

 

[gUt]

Interesting choice of forum for this discussion..

 

[forestfan]

You do get the feeling that if Joe blog from USA saw union versus league he would for league

league is superior in the rules/excitement/passion/skill/ hits and overall spectacle

union is a chinese jigsaw

that never took off in china? haha


what im saying in laymans terms is that

by 2100 lets have league played all around the world