Accommodation no challenge: Sharath Kamal supports Indian athletes at Asian Games
India’s Deputy Chef A Sharath Kamal believes that accommodation at the Asian Games will not be a major hurdle for the country’s athletes. With the participants set to stay in containers, on a cruise ship and in hotels, Sharath feels the Indian contingent was well prepared for the arrangement.
India will have 501 athletes and 265 officials at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, with the contingent divided between different accommodation options. Ahead of the Games, Sharath said the athletes have already been given an idea of what to expect and should adapt quickly.
“For the players, on the instructions of the Sports Authority of India, we had containers built at various SAI campuses, where the athletes could try out staying in the containers.
“And of course, cruise ships, we’ve tried to replicate something like that,” Sharath said.
“But at the same time, the players know what to expect. We’ve brought them up very well. And I’m pretty sure they’ll get used to it pretty quickly,” he added.
Around 4,000 to 5,000 athletes will stay on Costa Serena, a cruise ship docked at Nagoya Port, while some 2,000 athletes will be accommodated in converted shipping container units at Garden Pier in Nagoya Bay. The remaining participants will stay in commercial hotels near the competition venues in Aichi Prefecture, with some events taking place in Tokyo.
ACCOMMODATION FACILITIES ARE CONCERNED
The decision to use converted shipping containers instead of a traditional athlete village has drawn criticism from some participating countries. The South Korean contingent raised concerns about limited room space, while members of the Asian Cricket Council also questioned aspects of the accommodation.
However, Indian athletes have had some preparation for the conditions. The Sports Authority of India set up container facilities at their centers so that the athletes had an opportunity to experience the setup before traveling to Japan.
Sharath said officials may face a different adjustment because they haven’t been given the same opportunity to acclimate to container-style housing.
The table tennis veteran also stressed that living arrangements should not distract from the competition, with performance remaining the priority for the Indian contingent.
INDIA’S MEDAL CHALLENGE
India will enter the Games with several established names across the disciplines. Olympic medalists like Manu Bhaker, PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu and Neeraj Chopra are among the athletes expected to attract attention, while India will also look to its hockey and cricket teams to ensure strong campaigns.
Shooting, athletics, archery, badminton, wrestling and weightlifting will form important parts of India’s medal programme. The country will also be looking to build on its record haul of 107 medals from the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will begin on September 19 and run until October 4, with competitions held at various venues in Aichi Prefecture and elsewhere.
– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
16 Sep 2026 11:12 IST