▁Olympic ▁Committee ▁voted ▁with ▁a ▁majority ▁of ▁ 8 1 ▁to ▁ 8 ▁that ▁rugby ▁union ▁be ▁re inst ated ▁as ▁an ▁Olympic ▁sport ▁in ▁at ▁least ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁and ▁ 2 0 2 0 ▁games , ▁but ▁in ▁the ▁se vens , ▁ 4 - day ▁tournament ▁format . ▁This ▁is ▁something ▁the ▁rugby ▁world ▁has ▁asp ired ▁to ▁for ▁a ▁long ▁time ▁and ▁Bernard ▁Lap asset , ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁International ▁Rugby ▁Board , ▁said ▁the ▁Olympic ▁gold ▁medal ▁would ▁be ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁" the ▁p inn acle ▁of ▁our ▁sport " ▁( R ugby ▁Se vens ). ▁ ▁Rugby ▁se vens ▁has ▁been ▁played ▁at ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁Games ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁Games ▁in ▁K ual a ▁L ump ur . ▁The ▁most ▁gold ▁medal ▁hold ers ▁are ▁New ▁Zealand ▁who ▁have ▁won ▁the ▁competition ▁on ▁four ▁success ive ▁occasions ▁until ▁South ▁Africa ▁beat ▁them ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁Rugby ▁union ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁an ▁Asian ▁Games ▁event ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁games ▁in ▁Bang k ok , ▁Th ailand . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁ed itions ▁of ▁the ▁games , ▁both ▁the ▁usual ▁fifteen - a - side ▁variety ▁and ▁rugby ▁se vens ▁were ▁played , ▁but ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁on wards , ▁only ▁rugby ▁se vens ▁was ▁retained . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁the ▁women ' s ▁rugby ▁se