IOC Chief Praises Rugby Sevens

(ATR) Thomas Bach says he is impressed with rugby’s return to the Olympics at Nanjing 2014.

"It's a great competition, you can see how dynamic and fascinating Rugby Sevens can be and is, and we are looking forward to a great tournament in Rio," he said after watching the sport at the Youth Olympics.

"It is always critical to get it right at a big event like the Youth Olympics Games or Olympic Games."

Bach was joined by a host of IOC members Olympic officials to take in action at the tournament-- for the first Olympic rugby gold medals to be awarded in 90 years.

Australia’s girls and France’s boys claimed the inaugural gold medals. China’s girls delighted the home crowd to take bronze, and Fiji claimed a first-ever Olympic medal with bronze in the boys’ competition.

Bach joined International Rugby Board president Bernard Lapasset in expressing satisfaction with the inaugural Youth Olympics Rugby Sevens event.

Lapasset believes the YOG event is a good springboard to ensuring a successful Rugby Sevens debut at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

"It was a very special, emotional and historic occasion for the global rugby family and the players and the competition was exciting and played in the shared values of the Youth Olympics and Rugby," said Lapasset in a statement.

"The future is certainly bright for global rugby and we can now look forward to delivering a Rugby Sevens event at the Rio Games that is great for the Olympics, great for rugby and great for Brazil."

Reported by Mark Bisson.

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