Asian Games 2026: Athletes report several issues ahead of continental event

popcorn number17000 descNo of athletes and officials at the games classDefaultNormally a day before any Asian Games the conversation is about athletes arriving venues coming alive the Games flame and the maths around the medal countInstead organisers here are grappling with belowpar rooms food issues transport problems accreditation a cruise ship flag disputes and an incoming typhoon Itrsquos a heavy list threatening to derail the multisport event before it has officially begunThe containers housing Asian Games athletes in NagoyaThe 20th AichiNagoya Asian Games are massive with close to 17000 athletes and officials from 45 countries competing across 43 sports By comparison the 2024 Paris Olympics hosted about 10700 athletes across 32 sports The sheer volume explains the logistical strain though it does not excuse the chaos The core issue stems from a decision made long ago mdash skipping a dedicated Athletes Village Organisers instead opted for a patchwork of hotels a luxury cruise liner and temporary container units to avoid postGames ldquowhite elephantsrdquoAt a Main Media Centre press conference Olympic Council of Asia OCA Director General Husain AlMusallam defended the arrangement saying ldquoWhile having a traditional athlete village would be nice we also need to be flexible We must think about the future of the host city and how the venues will be utilised after the games concluderdquoVolunteers assist visitors at an information centre in NagoyaDespite assurances that accommodation was properly assigned and ldquonot a single participant has been left strandedrdquo the picture on the ground has been different The Japanese delegation scrambled for alternative housing after male and female athletes were assigned shared rooms Around 4000 participants are living aboard the Costa Serena while 2000 occupy container unitsDiplomatic friction added to the tension Upon landing at Chubu Centrair International Airport the South Korean delegation was barred from carrying its large national flag through the entry process because of internal regulations prompting an official complaint Transport problems followed At Aichi Sky Expo arriving teams were stranded Indiarsquos rowing team waited more than four hours while Chinarsquos gymnastics squad faced similar delays Buses carrying South Korean and Qatari football teams reportedly drove to a baseball stadium instead of a rugby venue while Vietnamrsquos volleyball team landed at the wrong hotel Food also became a grievance with the Indian contingent reporting scarce dietary options an issue that has since been resolved after athletes opted for an Indian restaurantMembers of the Indian delegation during the official welcome and flag hoisting ceremony in Nagoya on FridayThen came the weather Torrential rain forced 400 athletes in groundlevel units to evacuate Organisers are now tracking Tropical Storm Dujuan expected to approach central Japan around September 21 Contingency plans include unmooring the Costa Serena if requiredNone of this means the Games are doomed Stadiums are ready preliminary action is underway and contingency plans exist Yet megaevents ruthlessly expose the gulf between blueprint promises and realityOn the eve of the opening ceremony Nagoya is still talking logistics instead of podium favourites The theme Heartbeats in Unison feels ironic amid the chaos Perhaps once the flame is lit the focus can finally shift to where it belongs mdash the Games