Alisports' $100M Investment In Chinese Rugby Remains Unclear

The future of Alisports’ $100M investment in Chinese rugby is "still unclear," with World Rugby saying that it would "continue to support development on the mainland" after a visit to Beijing last week, according to Nazvi Careem of SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. When asked about the Alisport investment, World Rugby said that it was "unable to comment at this stage." The program was launched in Hong Kong in April '16 with Alisports "planning to introduce rugby to 10,000 schools and universities" in a bid to produce 1 million new players over 10 years. However, at April’s Hong Kong Sevens, World Rugby CEO Brett Gosper said that the project was "temporarily halted as World Rugby assessed the aftermath of major changes in China sports governance." Gosper said, "I'd have to say it's been slow progress, the partnership. It's slower than we would have liked. Things aren't easy and rapid in China as we would have liked in the areas we are dealing with" (SCMP, 5/28).