Athletes plead for help as "Worst ever" Asian Games face bed shortage

The Asian Games in Japan are set to open this Saturday, but the housing situation is in a dire state, according to South Korean officials. They describe the accommodation as "the worst ever" and warn of a "serious shortage" of rooms. Unlike previous Games, there is no designated athletes' village; instead, hotels, temporary wooden cabins, and even a cruise ship are being utilized to cut costs.

South Korean basketball officials have expressed particular concern over the cabins used by their men's team, stating that athletes taller than two meters cannot stretch their legs comfortably on the beds. "Based on my experience, this is the worst ever," Jung Jae-Yong, vice president of the Korea Basketball Association, told AFP.

One South Korean player, Byeon Jun-Hyeong, posted a video of his living quarters, which featured a leaking sink and soaked floors. He captioned the video, "Please help us." Around 2,000 athletes and officials are expected to reside in these cabins during the Games, which are expected to host over 17,000 participants, surpassing the initial estimate of 15,000.

The shortage of accommodation is not just a South Korean issue; Philippine officials have turned to Airbnb, while the Italian Costa Serena cruise ship is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday to accommodate between 4,000 and 5,000 athletes. The accommodation problems have been exacerbated by heavy rainfall, which led to the evacuation of hundreds of athletes last week, with more rain expected.