阿里巴巴擬將橄欖球引進中國

Alibaba chairman Jack Ma, a relatively recent investor in China’s surging football industry, is now hoping to promote another English import after signing a development and sponsorship deal with World Rugby.

阿里巴巴(Alibaba)董事長馬雲(Jack Ma)最近才投資了中國日益紅火的足球業，如今又與世界橄欖球聯合會(World Rugby)簽訂了一項發展和贊助協議，希望推動另一項從英格蘭引進的運動。

Under the agreement, announced on Sunday, the e-commerce group’s sports division said it would make a “long-term multimillion US dollar investment in the development of rugby in China”.

根據週日宣佈的協議，這家電商集團的體育部門表示，將爲中國橄欖球事業的發展投入數以百萬美元計的長期投資。

“We encourage young people to join rugby to cultivate the spirit of being strong-willed, aggressive, acquisitive and unified,” said Zhang Dazhong, chief executive of Alisports.

阿里體育(Alisports)首席執行官張大鐘表示，“我們鼓勵年輕人蔘與橄欖球運動，發掘他們的頑強意志、攻擊性、進取和團結精神。”

The deal was announced at the annual Hong Kong Sevens, the world’s premier seven-a-side tournament that is as famous for its off-pitch parties as it is for the on-pitch action

該協議是在年度香港七人橄欖球賽(Hong Kong Sevens)上宣佈的，這是一項世界頂級7人比賽，球場外的派對與球賽一樣出名。

In exchange for its support of the sport, Alisports will be given exclusive rugby broadcast rights for its internet platform. The partners will also collaborate to help China host more international rugby events.

作爲支持橄欖球運動的回報，阿里體育的在線平臺將獲得橄欖球比賽獨家轉播權。雙方還將合作幫助中國主辦更多國際橄欖球賽事。

Alisports was established by Alibaba in September with minority investors including Sina and Yunfeng Capital, a private investment vehicle controlled by Mr Ma.

去年9月，阿里巴巴創建阿里體育，少數股東包括新浪(Sina)和由馬雲控股的私人投資公司雲峯基金(Yunfeng Capital)。

“This deal will ensure an uNPRecedented platform for rugby to reach, engage and inspire new participants across China,” said Bernard Lapasset, World Rugby chairman.

世界橄欖球聯合會主席伯納德•拉帕塞(Bernard Lapasset)表示：“該協議將建立一個空前的橄欖球平臺，讓中國各地的新參與者參與進來並激勵他們。”

Mr Ma, 51, is China’s second-richest man with a fortune estimated at $22.7bn, according to the annual Hurun report. He was previously the country’s richest man before being surpassed by Mr Wang, whose wealth grew by more than 50 per cent last year. In 2015, Mr Wang paid $52m for a 20 per cent stake in Spain’s Atlético Madrid.

在胡潤(Hurun) 2016年百富榜上，51歲的馬雲排名第二，據估計，他的財富總額爲227億美元。他之前曾是中國首富，如今被王健林超越，後者的財富總額去年增長逾50%。2015年，王健林斥資5200萬美元購入西班牙馬德里競技俱樂部(Atlético Madrid) 20%股權。

But it is far from certain that Chinese tycoons such as Mr Ma can do for rugby what they have done for football, given its much lower profile in the world’s most populous country.

然而，鑑於橄欖球運動在世界人口最多國家受關注的程度要低得多，馬雲等中國大亨能否在橄欖球領域做出他們在足球界做出的事情遠非確定。

China has been represented only sporadically at the Hong Kong Sevens by teams that have often been beaten heavily by other minnows.

中國僅偶爾派出球隊參加香港橄欖球7人賽，這些球隊往往被其他弱小球隊擊敗。