Oct. 9, 2009

COPENHAGEN - After a 92-year absence, the sport of rugby will return to the Summer Olympics at the 2016 Games in Rio De Janeiro following a ratifying vote Friday by the International Olympic Committee.

Needing a straight majority from the IOC for its return, rugby was approved by an 81-8 vote with three abstentions. Golf was also approved for Olympic inclusion in 2016 with a 63-27 vote with two abstentions.

Golden Bears helped to bring home gold medals for the United States the last two Games in which rugby participated - 1920 and 1924 - and the return of rugby in a seven-a-side format for 2016 signals a new opportunity for California ruggers to represent their country on the world stage.

"People will need to excuse our rugby pride for a few days. A return to Olympic status is something we've worked on for many years," said Bears head coach Jack Clark. "It is truly a great day in the long history of our sport."

Cal's Charlie Tilden, Matt Hazeltine, Red Meigan, George Dixon, C. "Babe" Slater and future Bears coach Ed "Mush" Graff were among the Americans who stunned their European opponents and audiences with their "aggressive tackling and superb punting" according to a French newspaper covering the '24 Games in Paris.

In the interim, Cal players have made 485 international appearances for the U.S. men's national team. With the 2016 Olympics preceded by the 2011 and '14 Pan Am Games, which has also added rugby, and the 2011 and '14 Rugby World Cup, itself the third-most-watched sporting event in the world, today's current and recent Bears have unprecedented opportunities to play for their country at the highest levels of international competition.

Cal kicks of its 2010 season in January.