Asian Games 2026: India among teams hit by flag-hoisting delay

India was among five contingents left waiting after the traditional Asian Games flag-raising ceremony was postponed and then abruptly stopped in Nagoya on Friday. Organizers blamed unspecified “issues” involving one of the teams, but gave no further details about the suspension.

Yemen, North Korea, Palestine, India and East Timor were scheduled to attend the ceremony at the Garden Pier. Four representative Indian Chefs of Mission, A Sharath Kamal, Lijo David Thottan, Alaknanda Ashok and Anjali Bhagwat were present at the venue.

“We apologize for the delay. There were some difficulties with the team. We will try to resume in another 15 minutes,” local organizers said.

The ceremony finally started after a 20-minute delay, only to be stopped again. Sharath Kamal and Anjali Bhagwat made their way towards the stage before returning to the waiting room after the proceedings were interrupted.

The episode adds to a series of organizational problems that have cropped up in Nagoya ahead of the official opening on Saturday.

CRITICISM OF MISMANAGEMENT IS GROWING

Friday’s disruption adds another episode criticism surrounding the hosting of the Asian Games in Nagoya. The event has already faced questions about accommodation, transport and the decision to house athletes in multiple venues instead of building a conventional Games Village.

Organizers have secured accommodation in container facilities, hotels and the Costa Serena cruise ship as part of a cost-cutting approach. However, delays in room allocations and difficulties in reaching training venues have left some athletes and officials frustrated.

Indian MMA athlete Varun Sanyal highlighted concerns about accommodation, while India’s chief of mission, Sahdev Yadav, acknowledged that there had been some mismanagement surrounding the measure. Badminton star Satwiksiraj Rankireddy also revealed that members of the Indian contingent waited for several hours for a bus on one occasion.

Flag raising ceremonies are a traditional part of major multi-sport events and are held before the opening ceremony as a formal welcome to the participating delegations.

The Asian Games officially opened on September 19, and competitions are already underway in several disciplines. With thousands of athletes gearing up for the main event, organizers will now face increased scrutiny to ensure logistical issues do not continue to overshadow the sporting event.

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Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

18 Sep 2026 11:42 IST