Britannica Sources used in this answer

Why did rugby return to the Olympic Games as rugby sevens instead of rugby union?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

A woman in a white pleated dress lights the Olympic torch from a large flame in a gold cauldron, with a crowd seated in the background at Panathenaic Stadium in Athens. — Olympic Games An actress playing the role of an Athenian high priestess lights the Olympic flame in Athens, October 31, 2017. The torch was later carried to Pyeongchang, South Korea, for the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Rugby returned to the Olympic Games in 2016 as rugby sevens rather than the traditional 15-a-side rugby union primarily due to its format, which is faster and more explosive.1

While Pierre, baron de Coubertin originally included the 15-player version of the game in the Olympics between 1900 and 1924, it was discontinued after his retirement. When the sport was considered for reinstatement, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) showed overwhelming support for the sevens variation, which features only seven players per side and significantly shorter match durations—consisting of 7-minute halves in pool play and 10-minute halves in finals. This condensed structure makes it a more accessible and dynamic version of the sport for the Olympic program.123