By Nick Butler at Twickenham Stadium in London

IRB chief executive Brett Gosper has outlined how old and new Olympic sports are concerned ahead of Rio 2016 ©Getty ImagesInternational Rugby Board (IRB) chief executive Brett Gosper has admitted they feel particularly nervous about Rio 2016 because it is their first Olympics and claimed more experienced federations share his concerns. 


Gosper was speaking here today at an event to mark 500 days until the England 2015 Rugby World Cup, and the seemingly smooth nature of preparations for that event contrasts strongly with the delays and setbacks encountered by Rio.

Recent criticism of Rio de Janeiro has particularly focused on the delayed construction schedule at the Deodoro complex due to host seven sports, including the inaugural rugby sevens competition.

Last week International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice-president John Coates claimed preparations are"the worst he had experienced" in his long association with the Games, while New Zealand Chef de Mission Rob Waddell specifically cited the Deodoro Complex when insisting "there is no hiding from problems facing Rio 2016" following a recent visit. 
 
This was a view echoed by Gosper when he admitted that, despite the excitement ahead of the sports Olympic debut, genuine fears do remain.

"We are more nervous than most people," said Gosper, whose father Kevan was a former vice-president of the IOC.

"But the other sports are very concerned as well and they're certainly not all saying, 'Oh, it'll be alright on the night.'"

"You look around the group and you see some hard experienced sports, and they are very concerned."

Concerns over preparations in the Deodoro venue cluster where rugby sevens will held have grown since the inspection by the IOC Coordination Commission in March ©Rio 2016Concerns over preparations in the Deodoro venue cluster where rugby sevens will held have grown since the inspection by the IOC Coordination Commission in March
©Rio 2016




At last months Sport Accord Convention in Belek, Turkey, the fears of the international federations was stressed particularly strongly at the General Assembly of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), where its President Francesco Ricci-Bitti pointed the finger at Brazilian authorities rather than the Organising Committee.

The fragility of these relations was further stretched when Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes blamed federations for demanding unrealistically high standards from organisers, comments strongly rebuked by Ricci-Bitti, who is also President of the International Tennis Federation, after his sport was singled out for particular criticism. 

Communicating with the various different levels of those involved in the Games, including  representatives from the State, Municipal and Federal Governments, as well as the Organising Committee, is part of the problem, claimed Gosper, who he revealed "the important thing is getting through to the different players of Rio".

He claimed he is confident the strength of these concerns are being realised.

"I think the message is being passed pretty strongly," he said.

"There have been visits by the IOC and a regular dialogue, and the message is getting through.

"It's now more about them having the physical capacity to deliver on time."