All athletes catered for: How India quickly resolved the accommodation crisis in Nagoya

Indian athletes found themselves in a difficult situation when they arrived in Nagoya, Japan for the Asian Games. Several athletes faced delays in getting accommodation, while others were left waiting at airports and other public spaces as the games were hit by an unprecedented crisis as organizers struggled to accommodate the 17,000-strong contingent for the quadrennial event.

By the time the Indian contingent arrived in Nagoya, reports of accommodation mismanagement were already public. Around 30 to 35 Indian athletes were removed from the accommodation list without prior warning, leaving Indian officials with no option but to find rooms for them at short notice.

However, the Indian authorities did not lose their heads.

Instead, the contingent’s support team quickly sprang into action, booking additional hotel rooms, arranging transportation and sending officials to the airport to receive the athletes and ensure they get to their accommodations.

“We have to take care of our athletes and solve their problems and provide them with good accommodation so that they are in the right physical and mental condition, win medals and be relaxed,” India’s chef de mission Sahdev Yadav said on Friday.

VIDEO | Nagoya, Japan: India’s 2026 Asian Games Chef de Mission Sahdev Yadav says at the flag-hoisting welcome ceremony for Indian athletes, “I am not fully aware of the reason… probably the chief guest arrived late. We were on pic.twitter.com/NcVHBoCun2— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 18, 2026

HOW INDIA DEALED WITH THE CRISIS

Yadav said he came to know only after arriving in Nagoya that several Indian athletes had been removed from the accommodation list by the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organizing Committee.

Organizers told India that more athletes than expected had arrived. However, Yadav said this was not the case with the Indian contingent, which stuck to the number of athletes billed for accommodation.

“They (Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organizing Committee) informed us that more players have come than expected (from India). But as far as India is concerned, that is not the case. We stuck to the number of players they invoiced. However, they removed some names, so we booked hotels for them… we faced difficulties with 30-35 athletes,” Yadav said on the sidelines of the flag.

The immediate response of the Indian contingent was to find alternative accommodation rather than wait for the organizers to resolve the shortage.

Initially 18 hotel rooms were booked and another 10 were to be added, enough to accommodate about 30 athletes. Yadav said the affected athletes were from badminton and shooting.

“Our team quickly swung into action to secure accommodation for the athletes as quickly as possible,” he said.

The problems did not end with the search for rooms. Some athletes, particularly those staying on the Costa Serena cruise ship, also faced long waits for accreditation cards.

India responded by arranging extra vehicles and hotel rooms so that the athletes would not have to stay while their accreditation was processed.

“Obviously there has been a delay in getting the athletes’ accreditation cards as it is a long process for those staying on the cruise ship. Yes, there are big delays, but we have dispatched cars and arranged hotels to facilitate them,” Yadav said.

The Indian contingent also made sure that athletes arriving late were not left to find their way to the accommodation on their own.

“We have booked 18 hotel rooms and will book 10 more today to accommodate around 30 athletes. They (organisers) are definitely short of accommodation,” Yadav added.

Chef de mission representatives were also directly involved in managing arrivals. Yadav said that Alaknanda Ashok and Anjali Bhagwat went to the airport on Thursday evening to receive the athletes.

“They all have accommodation and there is absolutely no problem on our side. Initially, when there were problems, we booked extra hotel rooms. Our team goes to the airport every time to bring the athletes,” he said.

IMPROVEMENT FOR POOR DRIVING

Yadav acknowledged that there had been mismanagement in the handling of the arriving contingents, but said India needed to focus on making its athletes feel good rather than allowing the issue to become a distraction.

“Yes, there is mismanagement, but it is a big event and it can happen. But we have to look further,” he said.

For India, this meant addressing the accommodation issue as an immediate logistical problem and finding a solution before it affected the athletes’ preparation.

Yadav assured that the initial issues have now been resolved and all Indian athletes have accommodation.

He also dismissed reports that Indian athletes were put in shared rooms with members of the opposite sex. Reports suggested that athletes and coaches from some contingents were being accommodated together, but Yadav said no such thing had been finalized for the Indian team.

“I have not heard of that. As far as our contingent is concerned, there was no such arrangement,” he said.

STAY CLOSED AS TYPHOON FORMES

With the storm expected to hit Nagoya, the Indian contingent now has another situation to deal with.

Yadav said Indian athletes have been advised to stay indoors in their hotels and on the cruise ship where some members of the contingent are staying.

The advice comes as organizers prepare contingency plans for the weather, with Japanese authorities saying athletes may be temporarily evacuated if torrential rain triggers emergency alerts.

For the Indian contingent, which arrived in the midst of an accommodation crisis, the immediate priority was to ensure that logistical problems did not become sporting problems.

By Friday, Yadav said all Indian athletes had been accommodated and that attention could return to competition.

– The end

Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

18 Sep 2026 16:35 IST