Colombo, Sri Lanka, March 19, 2026: Sri Lanka Rugby has hired ex-France international and rugby sevens coach Thierry Janeczek to lead the team at this year's Asian Games.
Sri Lanka Rugby President Pavithra Fernando told local media that Janeczek had been taken on a six-month contract and would arrive in Colombo on Friday, March 20 to witness the first two legs of the Sri Lanka Rugby Sevens Series.
He will return later in April to streamline the men's national sevens team’s build-up for Aichi-Nagoya in September.
“Initially we will offer him a six-month contract, then we will review his performance and take a call afterwards,” Fernando was quoted as saying by The Morning newspaper.
Fernando added that Janeczek, a former French sevens star who represented his country at the 1993 World Cup Sevens, has been taken on to spearhead a medal-winning campaign at the Asian Games.
Sri Lanka competed as an Independent Athletes team under the OCA flag at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games, finishing in 10th position, from 13 teams.
