Golf and rugby sevens have been officially confirmed as Olympic sports from 2016 onwards, following a vote of the IOC’s membership in Copenhagen. Both sports had previously been recommended by the IOC’s executive board, seeing off squash, baseball, softball, karate and roller sports.

Rugby sevens received 81 votes, with only eight against while golf was passed 63-27, with two abstentions. In recent days there had been concerns that golf might not get passed, given the lack of existing golfing infrastructure in Rio de Janeiro, which last week was selected as host city for the 2016 Games.

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Bernard Lapasset, president of the International Rugby Board, called it a “historic moment for our sport”. He added: “The Olympic Games will be the pinnacle of the sport for all our athletes and the Rugby family. The best men's and women's players in the world are excited to be able to showcase their talent on the world's greatest sporting stage.

“We are now looking forward to working in partnership with the IOC to develop and implement a Rugby Sevens tournament in Rio that will reach out to new audiences and inspire a new generation of sports fans around the world.”

The vote was preceded by a discussion amongst IOC members, with some concerned at the way the two sports had been selected for a final vote by the IOC executive board. Golf and rugby sevens, as existing major sports, guarantee large television audiences and commercial revenues. IOC president Jacques Rogge said afterwards: “Time will show your decision was very wise.”

In a separate development IOC president Rogge was re-elected, as expected, for a second term. He was unopposed and received 88 votes in favour, with only one against. First elected in 2001, he will serve a final four years before leaving the role in 2013. Italian Mario Pescante and Singapore’s Ser Miang Ng were elected as new vice-presidents of the IOC. Britain’s Craig Reedie was elected onto the organisation’s executive board while all 106 members of the IOC were re-elected, as expected.