Concerns surrounding the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games persist following the opening ceremony, which was marred by issues related to athlete accommodations and national anthem performances. The ceremony, held on September 19 at Nagoya's Mizuhokouen Stadium, saw many empty seats despite the venue's expansion from 27,000 to 30,000 seats.
The 20th Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, themed "Imagine One Asia," features participation from over 10,000 athletes representing 45 National Olympic Committees, including a newly formed refugee team of four. The competition will run until October 4, with 469 gold medals up for grabs across 43 sports and 71 events.
South Korea, aiming to maintain its third-place overall ranking for the third consecutive time, has sent a delegation of 1,051 athletes across 41 sports.
The opening ceremony showcased a blend of Japan's history and tradition with advanced technology, lasting nearly two hours. However, the atmosphere in the stands did not match the spectacle. Local media pointed out the discrepancy between the organizing committee's claim of a sold-out event and the reality of numerous empty seats. Concerns about ticket sales had been raised prior to the event, with reports indicating that as of September 7, ten out of 41 sports had ticket sales below 60%.
Disruptions occurred during the ceremony when some teams, including North Korea's, left their seats around 7:25 PM while a performance highlighting local history was underway. They did not return until after the torch relay and lighting had concluded, a rare occurrence in international competitions like the Olympics and Asian Games.
Operational mismanagement has been a significant issue since before the Games began. In an effort to cut costs, the organizing committee opted not to build a formal athletes' village, instead housing teams in existing hotels, large cruise ships, and temporary container accommodations. However, the number of participants swelled from an anticipated 15,000 to over 17,000, leading to complaints about leaking facilities and cramped quarters. Some teams reported waiting over ten hours after arrival to be assigned accommodations, while others found their names missing from lodging lists and had to sleep on the floor.
Additionally, a historical controversy arose when a reenactor dressed as Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who instigated the Imjin War, appeared at a ceremony for a cruise ship serving as an athletes' village. The Korea Sports Council lodged an official complaint with the organizing committee, which stated that there was no intention to convey a historical message.
Concerns about the organization of the Games were further heightened by a series of national anthem errors. On September 18, during a men's hockey group match between South Korea and Bangladesh at Gifu Prefecture's Kakamigahara Green Stadium, North Korea's anthem was played instead of South Korea's. South Korean players, initially placing their hands over their hearts, lowered them in confusion when the wrong anthem played. The organizing committee later acknowledged the mistake and played the correct anthem just before the match began.
The Korea Sports Council sent a letter of protest, demanding an explanation, an official apology, and measures to prevent future incidents. Two organizing committee officials visited the South Korean team office later that evening to express their apologies.
Yoo Seung-min, president of the Korea Sports Council, stated, "It is unacceptable for the national anthem, a symbol of our country, to be played incorrectly at an international multi-sport event. We are taking this matter very seriously." However, the organizing committee's errors continued the following day. During the women's handball group match between South Korea and Hong Kong at Inazawa, Aichi Prefecture, both teams' national anthems were omitted entirely before the game.
Moreover, discrepancies in the scoreboard during matches have also been reported, displaying scores that did not accurately reflect the game.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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