The organizing committee for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games has addressed recent controversies regarding delays in cruise ship accommodations and meal issues at the venues.
On September 22, the organizing committee released a statement on its official website regarding reports related to the accommodation and meal services for the athletes.
The committee explained that the delays and confusion experienced by some teams boarding the cruise ship on September 16 were not due to issues with the accommodation information provided by the organizers.
"There were deficiencies in the documents submitted by some teams, and the time taken to verify and adjust these issues led to the delays in boarding," the committee stated.
The Costa Serena, a large cruise ship, is being used as one of the accommodations for the athletes. Some teams reported long wait times during the check-in process, which sparked controversy over the event's organization.
The cruise operator, Costa, and the contracted company, JTB, also stated that there were no operational issues on their part. They assured that they would continue to work with related companies to prevent further confusion during the check-in process for the teams.
Regarding the meal issues raised at the tech ball venue, the committee clarified that the food in question was not prepared by them. Some teams criticized the quantity and quality of the food provided via social media, but the committee explained that the meals were arranged by the relevant sports organization, not the organizing committee.
The committee noted, "During the inclusion of tech ball as an additional sport, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the relevant sports organizations agreed on cost-sharing, and the disputed food was provided by the sports organization." They added that meals at the athletes' accommodations are provided considering the sport and training schedules.
The organizing committee's response to the criticism marks the first time they have addressed operational issues publicly. They did not issue apologies on their official website for previous issues such as shuttle bus scheduling problems or errors in national broadcasts. As the event approaches, concerns regarding accommodations, transportation, and meals for the athletes continue to arise, and the committee's official clarification may help quell the ongoing controversies.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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