No room for worry as Asian Games chief defends unique lodging

NAGOYA: The chief of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games has dismissed worries over athlete housing, despite reports that some competitors struggled to find accommodation. Mohammad Tayyab Ikram, the committee chairman, confirmed that all facilities had been allocated and every participant was guaranteed comfortable lodging. Unlike many international events, an athletes village was not constructed, as a cost-saving decision.

Instead, athletes are housed in hotels, container-style accommodations, and a cruise ship docked at Nagoya port. Ikram, also an Olympic Council of Asia member, invited journalists to inspect the Garden Pier area firsthand, emphasizing its quality. The Games organizers are committed to avoiding wasteful remnants after the event, viewing the alternative accommodations as a unique solution.

The International Olympic Committee's push for a smaller sports program led to the addition of teqball and padel, increasing the athlete count from 15,000 to over 17,000. Despite the escalating conflicts and political instability in Asia, the OCA director-general, Husain A.H.Z. Al-Musallam, insisted there are no plans to limit athlete participation in future Asian Games.

He stressed the importance of sport in these turbulent times, noting the world needs it more than ever.