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World Rugby Handbook

REGULATION 8 EXPLANATORY GUIDELINES his Union and the time the Player first represents the second Union, which must be in an Olympic Event. Played, shall mean when s/he played for the senior, next senior or senior sevens National Representative Team of that Union for which s/he is captured. The principles of Regulation 8.3 apply in any assessment of this provision. 9. What does ‘first represents’ mean? It means the first occasion when the Player represents the second Union in a Match, Tournament or Series of Matches – which must be in an Olympic Event. The Player would not however, be permitted for example to participate in pre-season Matches or so-called ‘friendly’ matches or other Matches which are not Olympic Events representing the second Union. Training with the team of the second Union is permitted but the circumstances should not be such that it presents or implies to third parties that the Player is part of the National Representative Sevens Team or Olympic Sevens Team of the second Union / country. 10. How will the stand-down period be assessed? The onus will be on the Player to demonstrate to the reasonable satisfaction of the Regulations Committee the last occasion upon which s/he played for their former Union and that they have not represented such Union in the three year period before they represent their new Union / country in an Olympic Event. 11. Are these Olympic Guidelines to be read with the World Rugby Eligibility Guidelines? Yes, both sets of Guidelines should be read together. 12. What is the position for Unions who do not have a single NOC to represent them? Member Unions of World Rugby are not necessarily recognised in their own right with equivalent NOC’s, for example the British Olympic Association (Team GB) is the NOC for Great Britain and therefore encapsulates the Unions of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (represent by the all-Ireland body of the IRFU). In such case, Players from the underlying Unions would be eligible (where they comply with Regulation 8.1 and 8.6) to represent the Olympic Sevens Team of the NOC (if selected) in relevant Olympic Events. 13. If a Player plays for a combined team in an Olympic Event does it affect his eligibility in relation to World Rugby? If a Player plays for a combined team of a country in an Olympic Event (e.g. Team GB) and he was previously not captured for a Union (under Regulation 8.2) then the Player will be deemed to be captured for one of the underlying Unions of the combined team of country he represented. So in the case of Team GB it would mean that the Player would then be free to play for one of England, Scotland, Wales and/or Ireland. Last update: 14 January, 2015 149


World Rugby Handbook
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