Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games face accommodation test before opening
Athletes and officials are being housed across a cruise ship, temporary cabins and hotels, amid complaints about beds, leaks and room allocations.
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are due to begin formally this weekend with organisers facing criticism over accommodation arrangements made after Japan abandoned plans for a dedicated athletes’ village.
Instead, participants are being distributed between the Costa Serena cruise ship, temporary cabins at Nagoya’s port and hotels. The cruise ship, which arrived on Tuesday, is intended to house about 4,000 people, while the port cabins are designed for about 2,000.
Al Jazeera Global News reported that South Korean officials criticised the short beds in container-style cabins, saying they were unsuitable for athletes more than two metres tall. A video posted by South Korean basketball player Byeon Jun-hyeong reportedly showed a leaking sink and wet floor in his cabin.
Japanese officials have acknowledged problems with room allocations, including athletes sharing with coaches, men and women being assigned together and insufficient space for medical equipment. Organisers say city hotels were secured as backup accommodation and that adjustments are being negotiated where arrangements prove impractical.
The pressures have been compounded by participation growing from an initial estimate of about 15,000 athletes and officials to roughly 17,000 after additional sports were added. Cricket teams have reportedly been offered hotel accommodation, while athletes in many other sports are using the cruise ship or temporary facilities.
Weather is adding another layer of uncertainty. Heavy rain has already disrupted activity in Nagoya, forcing some athletes to leave their accommodation, while organisers have warned that a tropical storm and possible typhoon could affect preparations and competitions.
