IOC president impressed by 'beautiful' but tighter Asiad wooden huts

NAGOYA: International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Kirsty Coventry expressed admiration for the shipping container-style huts housing Asian Games athletes on Sunday, though she acknowledged they were slightly less spacious than those at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The largest sporting event in Asia, which kicked off in Nagoya on Saturday, diverges from past Games by not featuring a traditional athletes village.

To cut costs, over 17,000 athletes will reside in temporary huts, hotels, and a cruise ship. While some nations have criticized the wooden cabins as too small, Coventry, a Zimbabwean former Olympic champion swimmer, found them "really nice" after inspecting them. She noted they were "a little tighter" but offered praise for their quietness, coolness, and excellent air conditioning.

The flooring and walls, she added, were "beautiful" and surpassed accommodations in some previous villages she had stayed in. Coventry emphasized that her initial expectations were far from met upon arrival, stating she was "really impressed" with the accommodations and their resemblance to those in Milan-Cortina. She reiterated her belief that the concept, when discussing athlete experience, should not be hindered by aesthetic preferences.