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Accommodation for Asian Games athletes in Japan is “functional” and efforts are being made to deal with numerous complaints from disgruntled teams, a chief organiser told AFP.<\/p>\n
More than 17,000 competitors and officials are expected at the continent’s biggest sporting spectacular, which opens on Saturday in Nagoya.<\/p>\n
In a bid to cut costs, organisers are housing athletes and officials in temporary accommodation ranging from a cruise liner and wooden containers to hotel rooms.<\/p>\n
The plan has run into immediate problems, with South Korean officials branding the container huts the “worst ever” and saying the beds are too short.<\/p>\n
An official from another team told AFP that he entered the facility, took one look at the arrangement and booked a hotel room instead.<\/p>\n
Several countries have also complained about a shortage of accommodation.<\/p>\n
Speaking ahead of the opening ceremony, organising committee president Hideaki Omura said efforts are being made to ensure athletes are comfortable.<\/p>\n
“If there are different opinions then we will respond to them appropriately,” said Omura, who also serves as governor of Aichi prefecture.<\/p>\n
“At this point, while we are responding to individual opinions, we have been improving everything as issues arise and we will continue to respond that way.”<\/p>\n
Byeon Jun-hyeong, a player with South Korea’s men’s basketball team, posted a video on social media showing a leaking sink and soaked floor in his hut accommodation.<\/p>\n
He posted the caption, “Please help us”.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of athletes were briefly evacuated from their accommodation last week as record rainfall lashed Nagoya.<\/p>\n
About 2,000 people are supposed to stay in the huts.<\/p>\n
– Cruise control –<\/p>\n
Omura said plans for the huts, which were built this year, had been given a favourable assessment by a committee of former athletes, including Olympians.<\/p>\n
“We explained everything to them and had them take a look around, and they said it looked functional and good,” he said.<\/p>\n
About 4,000 athletes and officials will also stay on the Italian cruise ship Costa Serena, which arrived in Nagoya on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Cruise ships have been used previously as accommodation at international sports events but never on this scale.<\/p>\n
The Asian Games are taking place at a time when typhoons are common in Japan, and Nagoya has experienced heavy rainfall in recent weeks.<\/p>\n
Omura said the priority was to keep athletes and officials on board safe.<\/p>\n
“We believe we can provide accommodation that guarantees athletes’ safety and allows them to deliver their best performance,” he said.<\/p>\n
– Slow sales –<\/p>\n
Athletes from 45 countries and territories will compete in more than 40 sports across over two weeks.<\/p>\n
Omura said ticket sales were going “fairly well”, especially for the marquee events.<\/p>\n
But he admitted that lesser-known sports had yet to capture the Japanese public’s imagination.<\/p>\n
That includes cricket, which is practically unknown in Japan.<\/p>\n
“India have a superstar cricket squad coming and Indian residents in Japan are saying, ‘I can’t believe we get to watch matches like this’, but ticket sales haven’t been very strong,” said Omura.<\/p>\n
“A lot of people in Japan have never seen cricket, so I really hope they take this chance and go and watch.”<\/p>\n
Events at the Games including basketball and football have been under way since last week.<\/p>\n
Omura said he was in attendance as the first action began when Qatar took on Iran in men’s basketball.<\/p>\n
After watching a physical contest, Omura said he hoped the Games would help Asia “reaffirm its bonds of friendship through sport”.<\/p>\n
“Iran and Qatar are in a situation where missiles are flying back and forth but they can still play basketball together,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Without the Asian Games you couldn’t have a game like that.”<\/p>\n
amk\/pst<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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