The 2026 Asian Games have hit turbulence even before the opening ceremony, with Indian athletes stranded for hours upon arrival in Nagoya due to accommodation issues.
The 2026 Asian Games have hit a major hurdle even before the opening ceremony could be staged and the Games officially declared open. The Indian athletes had an unusual arrival in Nagoya after being stranded for hours without proper accommodations.
The Indian contingent for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan will have 503 athletes (269 men and 234 women). The competitors will be supported by 246 support staff members and 19 officials.
Sahdev Yadav will serve as Chef de Mission, and the legendary Sharath Kamal will be his deputy. This year, the Indian contingent is brimming with high medal hopes in multiple disciplines.
Viral video shows athletes sleeping in floors
Several delegations arriving in AichiโNagoya for the Asian Games faced delays after a system failure disrupted the retrieval of athletesโ information, leaving some competitors stranded and unable to board their designated shuttles.
A viral video showed the representatives of the Thai and Indian contingents sleeping on the floors amid the delay. The athletes were left with minimal facilities and no food for over 12 hours as they waited to get access to their accommodations.
More from SportsIndian MMA athlete Varun Sanyal, who will represent the country in the traditional 77kg category at the quadrennial sporting event, confirmed the delay. On social media platform ‘X’, he revealed that he was stranded for seven hours.
โI can confirm this is true… I’m currently on 7 hours and counting,โ the Indian MMA athlete wrote.
Indian athletes briefed about living conditions
Indian athletes were briefed about the living conditions in Japan, with Sharath revealing that container houses were built across SAI campuses to help them experience the facilities firsthand. They also tried to replicate the living facilities on the cruise so that the athletes could adapt faster.
However, the organisers’ failure to accommodate the athletes has sparked criticism, questioning their ability to host an event of such calibre.
At the 2026 Asian Games, around 4-5 thousand athletes will reside on the Costa Serena cruise liner, which is docked at the Nagoya Port.
Nearly 2 thousand athletes will be accommodated in shipping container facilities at Nagoya Bay’s Garden Pier, and the remaining athletes will reside in commercial hotels near the competition’s venues, which are across Aichi Prefecture, and some events will be hosted in the Japanese capital of Tokyo.