Asian Games 2026: Indian athletes land in Japan to unforgettable welcome

Japan’s reputation for organizational efficiency lay in ruins as the rowing and shooting contingent faced unexpected tests upon arrival. Most of the rowing team was left without accommodation, some of their names were actually missing from the accreditation system.“Only three of the 22 male athletes have accommodation against their names. And the names of three of the five women rowers (Poonam, Aleena Anto and Anshika Bharati) are not registered with the hosts even though all of them have valid accreditation,” said a Rowing Federation of India (RFI) official.The rowers’ nightmare actually began before they even got on the plane. One of the groups that left Mumbai on Tuesday night, Cathay Pacific, said they would not be allowed to check their oars. Later the oars were taken to Delhi. They will arrive in Nagoya on Thursday morning, just in time for the first official training session.Adding to the agony was a belated notification by the Sports Authority of India that women’s coach Ratheesh Kumar and team manager Ramakrishnan Ramachandran would have to make their own accommodation arrangements.The shooters, meanwhile, had to wait nearly three hours for their transport after arriving at Nagoya Airport at 9pm on Tuesday. “Our bus did not come and there was no food. Everything was closed at the airport. The welcome center had no information, so we had to wait and reach the hotel around 4 am,” a team member told TOI.

Samaresh gets bad accreditation

India’s head pistol coach Samaresh Jung was in for a rude shock when he learned that his accreditation did not allow him to enter the players’ arena and the field during matches. “It was a shock when we saw Samaresh’s accreditation. When we asked, we were told that it was done as per the list the organizers got from the Indian Olympic Association,” said a source.“We have contacted our office at the National Rifle Association of India and the issue has been taken up. We have been told that Samaresh will be re-accredited tomorrow,” the source said. Samaresh’s absence would dent India’s medal chances as most of the 10m air pistol shooters like Suruchi Phogat, Akash Bhardwaj trained under him.

Citing a lack of government funds, the riders left the bill for horse feed

Indian equestrians preparing for the Asian Games have struggled to secure hay, bedding and fodder for their horse combinations, with an ad-hoc committee appointed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) running the sport citing “lack of government funds”, reports Sabi Hussain.The mail accessed by TOI, signed by Lt Col Sandeep Dewan, Member (Administrative), Ad-Hoc Panel and Team Leader of the Equestrian Contingent, said the funds released to the national federation were largely insufficient even to settle the bill of transporter Peden Bloodstock. The federation, the email adds, covered the shortfall from its own funds.“We regret to inform you that the government has not yet released any funds to pay for feed and other expenses related to the maintenance of horses in Japan,” Dewan wrote.Riders were asked to directly purchase feed and other stable supplies and request reimbursement at a later date.Financial tensions extend beyond Japan. The riders said they personally covered the costs of food, travel, accommodation and fees during the mandatory horse quarantine in Germany.Reimbursements for pre-quarantine tests, blood and swab tests, horse transport, athletes’ accommodation and groom’s accommodation also remain outstanding. “Early support in these crucial matters is extremely important for us to fully focus on our performance at the Asian Games,” the rider told TOI on Wednesday.