COPENHAGEN (AFP) - Jacques Rogge was re-elected president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Friday as golf and rugby union sevens were included as sports at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Rogge held onto his position for a new four-year term, taking 88 votes in favour, one against and three abstentions.
New rules allowed the former Olympic yachtsman and rugby union international to stand for a final four-year mandate.
"You have given me a great honour. We have accomplished a lot together," Rogge said. "Our focus now is on the future. We have a lot of work to do."
The 67-year-old Belgian was first elected for eight years in 2001 in Moscow and will now be in place through the 2012 London Olympics before stepping down a year later.
IOC members rubber-stamped golf and rugby sevens as Olympic sports at a congress here after the executive board had voted to include them at a meeting in August.
Rugby sevens received 81 votes for and eight against with one abstention, while golf had 63 for and 27 against with two members abstaining.
The two sports will be included in the programme for the 2016 Rio Games, bringing the number of sports there to the IOC's stated maximum of 28.
Rugby sevens will see 12 teams each in men's and women's competition, with the sport's governing body the IRB having pledged to end its showpiece World Cup Sevens tournament.
The International Golf Federation (IGF) has promised that the world's best will take part in the Olympic golf tournaments, which will see 60 players in both the men and women's competitions facing off over 72 holes.
"We are elated that the IOC membership has accepted golf as an Olympic sport, and look forward to seeing the world's best golfers compete for gold at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro," said Ty Votaw, executive director of the IGF's Olympic Golf Committee, which has coordinated golf's Olympic bid.
"We have received unprecedented support from international golf organisations throughout this process, as well as from the world's top-ranked men and women players, which was critical to our success.
"We also stressed the universal nature of golf, with 60 million people playing the sport in more than 120 countries."
IRB president Bernard Lapasset also played on the universal appeal of rugby union sevens, which often sees upsets on its global circuit.
"This is a historic moment for our sport and for the global rugby community, who were united in support of our campaign," the Frenchman said.
"We are excited and honoured to be joining the Olympic Games and I would like to thank the IOC members for believing in our Olympic vision and our values and recognising that rugby sevens is a perfect fit for the Olympic Games."
Softball, squash, baseball, karate and roller sports were also in contention for Olympic spots until their elimination by the executive board vote two months ago.
Both rugby and golf are no strangers to the Olympics.
Golf was played at the Paris Games in 1900 and four years later in St Louis, while rugby was played between 1900 and 1924, in the full 15-a-side format.
Meanwhile, Rogge held onto his position at the head of the IOC after no alternative candidates stood in the secret ballot.
Rogge, an orthopaedic surgeon who took over as IOC chief from Juan Antonio Samaranch eight years ago, has enjoyed a varied career including a stint as a ringside doctor in boxing.
He last week oversaw the choice of Rio as host of the 2016 Olympic Games, the first ever South American city to stage the event, despite it being the candidate with the lowest potential sponsorship.
As IOC president he has overseen Summer Olympics in Athens (2004) and Beijing (2008), as well as Winter Games in Salt Lake City (2002) and Turin, Italy (2006), with the Vancouver Games scheduled for February 2010.
