Sports Ministry reaches out to Indian diaspora in Japan amid Asian Games accommodation crisis

Containers ready to accommodate athletes from various countries participating in the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan. (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: With the accommodation crisis at the Asian Games showing no sign of abating, the sports ministry has appealed to the Indian diaspora in Nagoya to help accommodate athletes if the shortage of rooms persists during the continental show.“The sports ministry has made a three-tiered plan to deal with the issue. The first tier includes officials at the airport; the second includes booking more rooms and the third includes liaising with the Indian diaspora. These activities are being carried out by the sports ministry officials, the on-ground team, the Sports Authority of India and the Chef de Mission (Sehdev Yadavs),” said a source following the development.Several athletes, including members of the Indian contingent, complained about the delay in allotment of accommodation. With no dedicated athletes’ village, participants have been accommodated in container units, docked cruise ships and hotels as organizers seek to keep costs down.Sahdev Yadav said on Friday that around 35 Indian athletes have already been shifted to hotels after they failed to get the accommodation allotted to them from the organisers. The situation could become more challenging as more Indian athletes arrive in Nagoya as per their competition schedule.“The Sports Ministry has reached out to the Indian diaspora to be on standby to help accommodate their athletes in case there is a shortage of rooms for them during the Asian Games,” the ministry official added.A senior Sports Ministry official said the Indian Embassy played a key role in reaching out to about 2,000 Indian families in Nagoya. Several families offered to help if the housing shortage worsened.The accommodation arrangement has been criticized by several participating countries, with South Korea among the most vocal in questioning the organization of the Games.However, the OCA rejected the criticism and said that attempts were made on social media to exploit the situation and politicize the event.Nearly 11,000 athletes in 43 sports are expected to compete in the Asian Games, which run until October 4.