From elementary school students to Seoul National University and Air Force Academy cadets! First national tag rugby tournament gathers 28 teams, 280 participants... Four foreign teams also competing

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Elementary school students, Seoul National University students, Air Force Academy cadets, and foreign enthusiasts all come together. A total of 28 teams and approximately 280 participants have confirmed their attendance at the national tag rugby tournament, which is open to anyone regardless of age, gender, region, or nationality.

The Korea Tag Rugby Association announced on the 9th that it has closed registration for the "1st OK National Tag Rugby Tournament," scheduled to be held on the 14th at the Namdong Asia Rugby Stadium in Incheon.

This tournament is the first national-level event independently hosted and organized by the Korea Tag Rugby Association since its establishment. Participants include elementary, middle, and high school students, university students, adult enthusiasts, and foreign players from across the country, including Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi Province, Jeju, Chungcheongnam-do, Chungcheongbuk-do, Daejeon, and Gyeongsangnam-do.

The competition is divided into four categories: eight teams in the U-12 elementary division (ages 12 and under), six teams in the U-15 middle school division (ages 15 and under), 10 teams in the Open Men's division (OPEN-M) for high school students through adults, and four teams in the Open Women's division (OPEN-F).

Notably, the rugby clubs of Seoul National University and the Air Force Academy are participating together. Four foreign teams, including the NLCS Jeju teachers' team and the multinational joint team "Han River Pirates," are also competing, bringing together players of diverse nationalities.

Tag rugby is a non-contact sport in which players remove tags attached to an opponent's waist instead of tackling them directly. It maintains the unique passing, movement, and teamwork of rugby while reducing the burden of physical contact, allowing beginners to participate relatively easily.

Leveraging these characteristics, the Korea Tag Rugby Association is expanding the sport's base through school sports and recreational activities. The association was officially launched at a founding general meeting in February, with Kim Dae-soo, CEO of Our Sports Nation and a former Seoul National University rugby player, appointed as its first president. Choi Yoon, Chairman of OK Financial Group, also serves as an executive advisor, supporting the association's operations and the promotion of tag rugby.

In July, the association co-hosted the "1st Kumdori National Tag Rugby Tournament" with the Daejeon Rugby Association. While that event was centered on student athletes, this time the scope of participation has been expanded to include university students and adult enthusiasts.

President Kim Dae-soo stated, "It is very meaningful that participants have voluntarily joined from elementary school students to cadets at prestigious universities and military academies, adult enthusiasts, teams from various regions across the country including Jeju, and foreign teams for this first national tournament."

He added, "We will make every possible preparation until the end to widely spread the values of inclusion and diversity in tag rugby, where anyone can safely and fairly enjoy the sport without physical collisions, and to establish this tournament as a new model of advanced school sports based on voluntary participation."

Corporate sponsorship continues. Nine companies, including OK Financial Group, Daesang Well Life, Cellusion, Hummel, Dong-A Otsuka, Mediheal, Bodyfriend, Samyang Jille, and Hanmi Science, are participating as sponsors and supporters.

The association plans to provide off-field events and convenience facilities for participants. Schedules, regulations, and match results related to the tournament will be announced through the official website of the Korea Tag Rugby Association.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original