London (AFP)
The International Rugby Federation announced on Wednesday that it is adopting a new rule that applies gender neutrality to all of its tournaments, including the upcoming 2021 (Women's) World Cup in New Zealand.
"World Rugby has announced that its flagship World Cup competitions at XV and VII will no longer include gender in their labels, reinforcing its commitment to equality and brand consistency in its portfolio." explains the statement. In short, instead of being called the Women's Rugby World Cup, the competition will simply be called the World Cup.
This decision, presented as a premiere for a federation of a major sport, will also apply for its Rugby World Cup competitions to 7, the men's tournaments having never specified the genre.
"The goal is to enhance the vision of women's play, while eliminating any inherent or perceived bias towards men-only competitions and tournaments that traditionally did not indicate gender," says the report. communicated.
Serge Simon, president of World Rugby's Women's Advisory Committee, said he was "delighted by this historic decision, but this is the beginning of the trip". "Together, we are working hard to do something very special for women, for the game," added the 52-year-old former player.
Other sports such as field hockey and football still feature the genre in the title of their Women's World Cups.
© 2019 AFP