Asian Games organisers pledge to address athlete accommodation concerns
Asian Games organisers have pledged to address complaints from athletes and officials over accommodation arrangements for the Aichi-Nagoya Games, saying concrete steps are already being taken to improve living conditions just days before the event officially opens.
"We are fully aware of the dissatisfaction and concerns voiced by the athlete delegations," accommodation manager Yuta Matsuo told Reuters. "However, we are not merely acknowledging these issues, we are already taking concrete steps to improve the environment for the athletes, including their living conditions during their stay."
The Games officially begin on Saturday, although football and basketball competitions are already underway. More than 17,000 athletes and officials are expected to take part.INDIA ALSO AFFECTED
The accommodation concerns are not limited to a single delegation. Sports Ministry sources had told India Today earlier that there had been delays in allocating some container accommodation to members of the Indian contingent.
However, the sources stressed that the issue was not specific to India, with several foreign teams also facing delays as organisers work to finalise accommodation under a model that is different from previous editions of the Asian Games.
The organisers have opted against building a dedicated Athletes' Village for the Games and are instead relying on a combination of temporary cabins, hotels, Airbnbs and a cruise ship to accommodate participants.
The unusual arrangements have come amid a rise in the expected number of participants. Organisers had initially planned for around 15,000 athletes and officials, but the number increased as more sports were added to the programme.
The accommodation crunch has raised concerns over both availability and the quality of facilities being provided to delegations.
The Italian cruise ship Costa Serena arrived at Kinjo Pier in Nagoya on Tuesday and will serve as accommodation for around 4,000 participants during the Games. Around 2,000 athletes and officials are expected to stay in temporary, shipping-container-style cabins in the port area.
Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games president Hideaki Ohmura welcomed the cruise ship's arrival, describing the "ship hotel" as an innovative accommodation solution for a major international sporting event.SOUTH KOREA RAISES CONCERNS
South Korea has emerged as one of the delegations most critical of the accommodation arrangements.
Jung Jae-yong, vice-president of the Korea Basketball Association, described the temporary cabins as the worst accommodation he had encountered and raised concerns about the size of the beds.
"Athletes who are over two metres tall cannot even stretch their legs out on the beds. It's unreasonable," Jung said.
South Korean basketball player Byeon Jun-hyeong also posted a video showing water leaking from a sink and soaking the floor of his cabin, accompanying it with a plea for help.
Jung said South Korean officials had raised the concerns but had yet to receive a response from the organisers at that stage.ORGANISERS PROMISE ACTION
Matsuo said organisers understood the dissatisfaction among delegations and were already working on improvements.
He said sustainability was a central consideration in the accommodation plan and acknowledged that different delegations would have different requirements, even though the arrangements had been approved by the Japanese Olympic Committee.
A 24-hour resident centre will operate during the Games to handle complaints and problems raised by athletes and officials.
"We are making every effort to ensure that athletes do not have to remain anxious or worried for prolonged periods of time," Matsuo said.
Matsuo also acknowledged that some cabins on the Costa Serena could be small but urged athletes to make use of the ship's shared facilities and recreational spaces rather than focusing solely on cabin size.OTHER DELEGATIONS AFFECTED
The accommodation issues have also affected other participating teams.
Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino said the country's athletes had been provided rooms, but some support staff, including coaches, had been moved to different hotels and Airbnbs.
The broader accommodation problem stems from the increase in the number of athletes and officials expected for the Games. Organisers had originally planned for around 15,000 participants before the figure rose to more than 17,000.
In a joint statement with the Olympic Council of Asia last week, the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee said the number would be capped at 17,000, with accommodation guaranteed for everyone attending within that limit.
The Asian Games, the third edition to be held in Japan, officially open on Saturday and will run until October 4.- EndsPublished By: Amar PanickerPublished On: Sep 15, 2026 18:32 IST
