Officials Defend Using Temporary Containers, Cruise Ship as Lodging at Asian Games
NAGOYA, Japan (AP) — 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 Olympic Council of Asia is defending its decision to use converted wooden containers and a cruise ship as temporary lodging for the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan. The games, which run from October 1 to 4, will feature over 11,000 athletes from various sports and regions, surpassing the number of participants in the Summer Olympics.
Instead of building a dedicated athletes village, Japanese officials opted for accommodations in hotel rooms, temporary wooden containers, and the Italian cruise ship "Costa Serena." The ship, which can accommodate up to 5,000 athletes and officials, will host many participants, with others rotating in and out as events conclude and new ones begin.
Several countries have expressed concerns about the lodging, with some basketball players citing the beds as too short. Hundreds of athletes had to be evacuated last week due to heavy rainfall in the area. The use of temporary accommodations aims to save costs, as Japan spent an estimated $13 billion on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which were postponed a year due to the pandemic.
A government audit suggests the actual expenses could be twice that amount. The Italian cruise ship's deployment highlights the challenges posed by the addition of new sports and late entries after the July deadline, necessitating a more flexible accommodation solution.
Written by urgent.news from The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
