Asian Games Organisers Issue Statement As BCCI Flags Concern Over Facilities
The 2026 Asian Games are scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4. However, the showpiece event recently found itself at the centre of a controversy over athletes' accommodation.
The 2026 Asian Games are scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4. However, the showpiece event recently found itself at the centre of a controversy over athletes' accommodation. Several media reports claimed that the organisers were facing a shortage of rooms to house the nearly 17,000 athletes and officials expected to attend the Games. As the tournament draws closer, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has broken its silence on the issue, strongly dismissing the reports as false and assuring all participating nations that the accommodation arrangements are being handled appropriately by the organisers.
In an official statement, the OCA said that all preparations have been planned with 17,000 athletes and officials in mind. The council also clarified that no further registrations will be accepted, except in exceptional circumstances.
"Further to incorrect media reports regarding issues in securing accommodation for official Asian Games Participants, the Olympic Council of Asia and the Aichi Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee (AINAGOC) can confirm the following: All the 17,000+ athletes and officials that are registered for the Asian Games before the closing of Entry by Name in July have been provided with Games-appropriate accommodation," the Olympic Council of Asia said in an official statement.
"Unless there are exceptional circumstances, no further registrations have been or will be permitted. The final preparations are on track and progressing smoothly ahead of what promises to be the most spectacular Asian Games in generations," the statement added.
The statement said that the organising committee had made arrangements based on the approved number of participants and remained confident that all accommodation requirements would be met smoothly.
The Nagoya-Aichi Asian Games are scheduled from September 19 to October 4, with around 15,000 athletes and officials originally expected. That figure has since risen to 17,000, including around 11,000 athletes and 6,000 officials, after teqball and padel were added to the programme.
Earlier, an ANI report had stated, the board and the Asian Cricket Council are not satisfied with the facilities and arrangements for cricketers in Japan, and an observer from the BCCI could be sent there. The report added that if the facilities are not found to be up to the mark, the BCCI could consider sending a 'B' team to the competition.
However, a BCCI source has told NDTV that while the issues mentioned in the report are correct, India will not send a B team.