Alisports partnered with World Rugby in '16 to launch a program to develop the sport in China.GETTY IMAGES
A $100M investment by Alisports into Chinese rugby, "aimed at producing 1 million players within 10 years," is "likely" canceled -- "reading between the lines of a terse statement from World Rugby," according to Nazvi Careem of the SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. In '16, Alisports -- the sporting arm of Alibaba -- partnered with World Rugby Chair Bernard Lapasset and CEO Brett Gosper to announce an "ambitious" program geared toward making China "a giant in world rugby." However, the project was "put on hold" after a change of leadership at China's rugby governing body earlier this year. The China sports ministry "launched a clean-up of its sporting associations and one of those affected was the rugby body." World Rugby and Alisports had to sell their idea "all over again." Asked to confirm rumors that the partnership had been canceled, World Rugby Communication Manager Suzi Murray said, "We have no comment to make, for your background our commitment to rugby in China is unwavering." Alisports also declined to comment. It was World Rugby that "put the project on hold initially," according to Gosper, and it is "likely that the governing body also made the decision to pull the plug" given its "frustrations at the lack of progress" (SCMP, 9/27).
