Asian Games organisers defend cruise ship arrangements

NAGOYA: Asian Games organizers defended their cruise ship accommodation arrangements for 4,000 athletes and officials on Tuesday, placing blame on teams for confusion and delays in boarding the Costa Serena ship. The world's largest multi-sport event, featuring over 17,000 participants, faced numerous issues even before its official opening on Saturday.

Some teams reported a shortage of rooms, while others criticized the accommodation's quality. In several instances, athletes were stranded for hours upon arrival last week. Unlike an athletes' village, the accommodation primarily comprises temporary cabins, hotels, and the Costa Serena cruise ship, a cost-saving measure.

Frustrated athletes have expressed their grievances online, with complaints about inadequate food included. The local organizing committee, AINAGOC, acknowledged that messages of confusion were posted on social media by some delegations upon boarding the cruise ship on September 16. Despite reports suggesting that AINAGOC's failure to submit accommodation information led to boarding delays, the committee clarified that incomplete documentation from certain delegations was the primary cause.

AINAGOC is collaborating with Costa Cruises and a third-party company handling the ship's operations to rectify the situation. The committee also confirmed that they were aware of critical social media comments from some delegations regarding the quality of food and drinks at one venue, noting that these offerings were not provided by AINAGOC.