Asian Games organizers under fire over cramped rooms, late buses

The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games have come under growing criticism over accommodation and transportation problems, with several teams describing the organization as chaotic and accusing organizers of failing to provide adequate conditions for athletes and officials.

Thailand compared the accommodation system to a game of “musical chairs,” while South Korea’s Olympic committee president said the organizers would deserve a failing grade.

The biggest challenge has been finding enough rooms for the roughly 17,000 athletes and officials attending the Games. Some competitors have also complained about cramped sleeping quarters, while transportation problems have added to the frustration.

The Games do not have a traditional athletes’ village, with organizers abandoning the original plan as a cost-cutting measure. Instead, teams are staying in hotels, temporary container-style units known as “villas” and the Costa Serena cruise ship, which is moored in Nagoya port and serving as a floating hotel.

More than 4,000 people are staying aboard the ship, while about 2,000 are housed in the modular units.

For Thailand, the accommodation shortages have created a revolving-door situation.

“It remains a problem from the beginning until now,” Chalitrat Chandrubeksa, deputy secretary general of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand, said.

Chalitrat said the number of beds available on the cruise ship and in hotels has not matched the team’s needs, forcing athletes and staff to repeatedly change accommodations.

“At the peak, we required 201 beds on the cruise ship but they provided only 170,” he said.

“When athletes checked in and found their names missing from the list, they had to be placed somewhere else. When the new athletes arrived, the previous ones had to move out and look for other hotels. It’s like musical chairs.”

Thailand has also had to place some staff well outside Nagoya because of the shortage.

“Our medical team has to stay about one hour 30 minutes from Nagoya,” Chalitrat said.

The team has rented additional vehicles from Tokyo to ensure its medical staff can reach athletes when needed.

“It has been chaotic,” he said.

Transportation has emerged as another major source of frustration, with teams reporting buses arriving late or failing to appear for scheduled journeys to training sessions and competition venues.

Chinese Taipei also said transport schedules were frequently changed at short notice.

Steven Chen, spokesman for the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee, said the team had anticipated accommodation problems and booked about 100 additional hotel rooms as a precaution.

“We were informed at the last minute before departure that there weren’t enough beds. That was a major blow to every country,” Chen said.

He described transportation as the team’s “biggest headache.”

“When our team had an evening flight, they suddenly informed us that the afternoon bus to the airport was changed to pick us up in the morning, which caused us a lot of trouble,” he said.

South Korea has also repeatedly criticized the organization of the Games.

According to South Korean news agency Yonhap, the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee said the problems were affecting athletes’ performances.

Ryu Seung-min, president of the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee, was particularly critical of the organizers.

“If I were to give them a grade, it would be an F,” Ryu said, accusing local officials of making excuses for the problems.

Athletes have also taken their complaints to social media, with some criticizing both their accommodation and food.

Organizers, however, have defended their efforts and said they are working to address the concerns.

“We have already increased shuttle buses as much as possible to satisfy athletes’ needs,” Asian Games organizing committee spokesman Hiroshi Koshizuka told AFP.

Koshizuka acknowledged that transportation problems had occurred but said they had not significantly affected the Games.

“There had been no significant impact on the Games and no event has been delayed,” he said.

He added that a system had been established to handle complaints and promised that organizers would continue addressing the issues.

Accommodation has remained another flashpoint, particularly over the size of the modular units being used to house athletes.

Local residents who toured a prototype unit near Nagoya TV Tower also questioned whether the cramped spaces were suitable for competitors.

“Once inside, I noticed that the space was quite long and narrow,” a 49-year-old nurse who gave her surname as Wada told Reuters. “If two beds were placed side-by-side, it might feel a little cramped there.”

Atsuko Sasa, 55, who lives in Aichi prefecture, said organizers could have prepared better.

“I understand that it’s a difficult situation, but when it comes to the environment for athletes, I do wish we had been a little more prepared,” she said.

Organizers have defended the modular units, saying their size was dictated by transportation and construction limitations.

Yuta Matsuo, deputy director of the athlete accommodation section, said officials had anticipated concerns about the rooms and considered the needs of athletes with different body types.

“We recognised from the start that such comments would come,” Matsuo said.

He said each bed was equipped with an ottoman that could be used to extend its length.

Matsuo also said larger units could not realistically be transported to the site.

“The units we’re using are the largest size that can be transported by truck,” he said. “Anything larger becomes closer to construction. You can no longer build it at the factory and move it.”

Organizers instead connected multiple units to create additional space where possible.

DAILYSABAH