Asian Games chief addresses accommodation issues in Japan

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Kirsty Coventry, the president of the International Olympic Committee, on Sunday toured the wooden cabins lodging athletes at the Asian Games and, despite some athletes' criticism, said she was “really impressed.” Japanese organizers of the Asian Games are lodging athletes on a cruise ship, in hotels and in wooden cabins. The Japanese opted out of building a dedicated athletes village, a move to control costs after Japan officially spent $13 billion on the Tokyo Olympics, delayed a year by the pandemic until 2021.

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The Olympic Council of Asia is attempting to quell complaints about lodging for athletes and officials at the Asian Games, which includes the use of converted wooden containers. The OCA said Friday that all “17,000-plus athletes and officials” that registered by the entry deadline in July have been provided “games-appropriate accommodation.” The games open officially on Saturday and run through Oct. 4 in and around the central city of Nagoya, and feature at least 11,000 athletes, more than the Summer Olympics.

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Accommodation for Asian Games athletes in Japan is "functional" and efforts are being made to deal with numerous complaints from disgruntled teams, a chief organiser told AFP. More than 17,000 competitors and officials are expected at the continent's biggest sporting spectacular, which opens on Saturday in Nagoya.Speaking ahead of the opening ceremony, organising committee president Hideaki Omura said efforts are being made to ensure athletes are comfortable.