Adding rugby sevens to the 2016 Rio Olympics has provided the sport with a great boost in China, but for it to gain a firm foothold, it needs to get children involved.

That's the major concern of former national team star and current coach Zhang Zhi-qiang, who attended the 12th National Games in Shenyang this month and saw provincial sports authorities invest a lot in pursuit of medals while appearing unconcerned about the sport's grassroots development.

"The motivation to win extra medals at the National Games is extremely powerful for local sports bureaus and the results weigh heavily on the work assessments of local sports officials," said Zhang.