Aussie rugby sevens team to undergo alcohol counselling after Tokyo bender
Australia’s Olympic rugby sevens team will have to undergo alcohol counselling after a string of booze-fuelled incidents in Tokyo.
After several days of partying, things came to a head on the team’s flight back from Japan, for which the squad received an official complaint from Japan Airlines.
According to reports, the team spent the 10 hour trip drunkenly chanting, singing, disrupting crew and vomiting in their seats and toilets, as well as rendering one toilet unusable.
Today Rugby Australia confirmed in a statement that it would take action against the entire 13-man squad.
“All members of men’s rugby sevens team have been reprimanded for this behaviour. They have also been formally warned about their future conduct.
“Certain team members will also undergo education and counselling sessions regarding behaviour and alcohol consumption.”
Members of the team, however, have hit back at the reports, with some denying responsibility for vomiting on the plane.
Speaking to Australian media, one player said: “People are allowed to be sick, that’s what sick bags are for. If someone was sick, it would not be the first time, who cares?”
“Who cares who f—king threw up, it’s not World War III? Why is rugby being dragged through the mud?”
Another told the Australian: “Well, if you look at where the vomit was, it wasn’t near our seating plan.”
In total, there were 49 Olympians from nine sports on the flight.
The flight came at the end of three days of raucous behaviour from the squad, who were knocked out of the tournament after a 19-0 loss to Fiji.