Brisbane's hosting rights for 2001 were withdrawn by the IRB because of the Australian Federal Government's sporting boycott of Fiji, imposed after the 2000 Fijian coup d'état. After sanctions were lifted later in 2001, the remaining two tournaments of Brisbane's four-year hosting agreement were played and won by Australia and England in 2002 and 2003 respectively. Australia was not awarded a World Sevens tournament for the next three years.
Brisbane was stripped of its hosting rights for 2001 by the IRB because of Australia's sporting boycott of Fiji, which followed the 2000 Fijian coup d'état. After sanctions were lifted in late 2001, Brisbane hosted and won two more tournaments in 2002 and 2003 against Australia and England respectively. For the next three years, Australia did not receive a World Sevens tournament.