Accommodation at the Asian Games, which start this week in Japan, is the “worst ever”, say South Korean officials, warning of “a serious shortage” of rooms. Beds in shipping container-style huts are too short for players to stretch out, the South Korean basketball chief said on Monday, while officials from the Philippines resorted to Airbnb. There is no dedicated athletes’ village for the games, with organisers instead relying on a cruise ship, temporary wooden cabins and hotels to cut costs.
The games in the city of Nagoya in Aichi prefecture officially open on Saturday, but football and basketball are already under way. Jung Jae-yong, vice president of the Korea Basketball Association (KBA), expressed his displeasure with the cabins where the men’s basketball team is staying. It’s unreasonable.” Byeon Jun-hyeong, from the basketball team, posted a video on social media showing a leaking sink and a soaked floor in his hut.
The huts are set to be home to 2,000 athletes and officials over the more than two weeks of the games. Worried about their athletes, Indian sports officials built replicas of cabins to help them get used to the games’ accommodation. KBA’s Jung accused organisers of failing to respond to South Korea’s concerns.
More rain has been forecast in the coming days. More than 17,000 athletes and officials are expected at the games — a bigger number than the Olympics. Organisers were initially expecting 15,000 and argued last month that they had “neither the manpower nor the budget” to deal with ballooning numbers.
The Olympic Council of Asia later said everyone would get a place to stay. Star cricketers have voiced fears about a lack of top-notch hotels. A Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) official agreed that problems persist with the games just days away.
However, “some officials, like coaches, were moved to different hotels and Airbnb”. The Italian cruise ship Costa Serena is due to arrive in Nagoya on Tuesday. Between 4,000 and 5,000 athletes will stay on the vessel.
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