Sevens muddle

I am very disappointed by your report (30 December) on the threat to the rugby Sevens World Cup. You claimed I had called for rugby sevens to be kept out of the Olympics, but this is completely untrue as I have never made any such comment. In fact, I am on record as welcoming the inclusion of rugby in the Olympics.

My comments clearly call for the International Rugby Board to keep the Sevens World Cup in addition to the Olympics and I am at a loss as to how The Scotsman could have interpreted them in any other way.

The IRB has stated that it intends to scrap the Sevens World Cup because sevens is now part of the Olympics, but this is illogical and goes against the interests of growing the game worldwide. The International Olympic Committee has confirmed to me that there is no requirement to scrap the World Cup and therefore I have called on the IRB to maintain the World Cup alongside the Olympics, just as in every other Olympic sport.

I agree with Gavin Hastings that rugby is not football and rugby players are keen to play for the British Lions. Long may that continue. In an independent Scotland, Scottish rugby players would still play for the British Lions, just as players from the Irish Republic do at the moment.

STEWART MAXWELL MSP

Scottish Parliament