By Gary Anderson at at Forman's Fish Island in London

3x3 basketballAugust 5 - International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice-president Ser Miang Ng today admitted that he would love to see 3x3 basketball in the Olympics but claimed the decision not to include it on the programme for Rio 2016 was the right thing to do.

Ng was head of the inaugural Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore in 2010, where 3x3 basketball made its international debut and was considered the biggest success of the Games, thrilling the watching crowds and earning rave reviews.

That had been the launchpad for a bid to be included in the main Olympics at Rio 2016.

But world governing body FIBA were left disappointed after the IOC Executive Board decided not to add any new disciplines at Rio 2016 because of fears that Brazilian officials are already struggling to get the city ready for the Games. 

3x3 basketball Singapore 2010 2Hopes that 3x3 basketball would be included on the Olympic programme for Rio 2016 following its international debut at Singapore 2010

"Rio us under a lot of pressure in terms of cost and organising things," said Ng, one of six candidates to replace Jacques Rogge as President of the IOC at its Session in Buenos Aires on September 10. 

"We believe this is not the time to add more events to the Games.

"That would be perceived to be adding to the costs of the organisation [of the Games].

"But, 3x3 basketball, to me it's exciting and I hope it will find its way into the Olympic Games programme someday.

"We had tremendous success with it during the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

"It was exciting it was fast and there was a great response from the crowd.

"We were able to do it [stage it] in one of the busiest areas of the city, in a shopping centre.

"The ambience it created was just amazing."

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