Accommodation Crisis at the Aika and Nagoya Asian Games

The Aika and Nagoya Asian Games will kick off this week with serious accommodation challenges. Organizers are facing widespread criticism from athletes and officials of participating countries, as the host country has not decided to build a dedicated village for the games for 17,000 athletes and officials.

Poor Accommodation Conditions

To cut costs, organizers have turned to accommodation on a cruise ship, temporary wooden cabins, and hotels. These temporary conditions have faced severe criticism in the days leading up to the continental competitions. For example, South Korean officials referred to the beds available in container cabins as the "worst situation," and the president of South Korean basketball stated that these beds are so short that athletes cannot lie down on them.

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The official housing committee announced that this problem arose due to the increase in the number of athletes and officials from 15,000 to 17,000. This year's games will host several new sports, including mixed martial arts, paddle, and surfing.

Organizer Efforts to Improve Conditions

Hideaki Omura, the head of the organizers, stated in an interview that efforts are underway to ensure the comfort of athletes. He said, "If there are various opinions, we will respond to them appropriately." Omura also noted that a committee of former athletes, including diamonds, has provided positive feedback on the accommodation plans.

Accommodation options include a cruise ship and wooden cabins to hotel rooms. The Italian cruise ship, Costa Serena, which can host 4,000 athletes and officials, arrived in Nagoya on Tuesday. Additionally, container cabins at Nagoya port are planned to host another 2,000 athletes.

Meanwhile, Mizu Tori, the vice president of the Japanese national team, announced at a press conference that athletes have been going through the check-in process since the cruise ship village opened. He mentioned issues where coaches, officials, and athletes are placed in the same room simultaneously.

Concerns of Athletes and Coaches

Jung Jae-young, the vice president of the Korean Basketball Federation, strongly criticized the conditions of the cabins, stating, "Athletes who are over two meters tall cannot stretch their legs. This is unreasonable." He also pointed out the lack of responsiveness from the organizers regarding South Korea's concerns about accommodation options.

Basketball player Byun Jun-hyung also posted a video on social media showing a leaking sink and wet floor in his cabin. The head of the Philippine diamond committee, Abraham Tolentino, also stated that while all his athletes have received rooms, some officials like coaches have been moved to hotels and other Airbnbs.

Naoki Alex Miyachi, the head of the Japan Cricket Association, said in early September that cricket will have better accommodation compared to other sports. He added that participating teams in cricket will have access to better hotels than other sports.

As the opening ceremony approaches, several events including basketball, football, cricket, hockey, and modern pentathlon have already begun. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Dujan is moving along the Pacific coast of Japan and may impact the competitions, causing delays or postponements of some events.

Kosai Ino, the head of the Japanese national team, announced at a press conference that some competitions are facing "delays or postponements" and that there is a possibility of the storm approaching on September 21. He said, "In this situation, we are holding thorough meetings within the diamond committee to ensure that we are fully prepared and able to respond to these situations."

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