Alarmed by the accommodation crisis at the Asian Games, the Sports Ministry has approached the Indian diaspora in to help arrange lodging for athletes if the shortage of rooms continues during the continental event, which begins on Saturday.
Several athletes, including members of the Indian contingent, have complained about delays in receiving their accommodation. With no dedicated ’ village in place to reduce costs, participants have been housed across container-style units, a docked cruise ship and hotels.
India’s Chef-de-mission Sahdev Yadav said on Friday that around 35 athletes had already been moved to hotels after organisers failed to provide their designated accommodation.
The situation could become more difficult as more athletes arrive according to their competition schedules. India’s players, for instance, had to be moved to a hotel after facing delays in getting their allotted rooms and will remain there for the time being.
A travelling Sports Ministry official said the ministry had asked the Indian diaspora to remain on standby in case additional was needed.
A senior ministry official, speaking to PTI on condition of anonymity, said the Indian embassy had helped reach out to around 2,000 Indian families in Nagoya. Several families have reportedly offered to assist if the accommodation shortage worsens.
“The first priority would be to accommodate the athletes in good hotels but if there is still a requirement for more rooms there is the Indian diaspora to fall back on,” the official said.
Sports Minister has also arrived in the port city and briefly attended the flag-hoisting ceremony on Friday. The event itself was delayed by more than an hour because of what was described as a “miscommunication” between the Council of Asia and the local organising committee.
The ministry said it was confident that support from the diaspora could help manage the situation if necessary.
“The diaspora has been very cooperative and is helping in every way possible, including assisting athletes at the airport and guiding them to the welcome centre,” the official said.
Two members of the Chef de Mission’s staff will also remain available at the airport to receive arriving athletes. The official said athletes should be able to identify officials wearing jerseys at the airport, which would help them feel more comfortable after arriving.
The ministry is also keen to prevent Indian athletes from facing the same delays reported by participants from other countries. Some athletes have reportedly been made to wait for as long as nine to 10 hours before receiving accommodation.
“The ministry cannot watch the same fate befall Indian athletes as athletes from other countries,” the official said, adding that the steps were being taken to ensure India’s athletes did not face similar difficulties.
The accommodation arrangements have drawn criticism from several participating countries, with among the most vocal in questioning the facilities and organisation.
The , however, has rejected the criticism. It has said attempts are being made to use the situation on social media to exploit the issue and politicise the Games.
Nearly 11,000 athletes are expected to compete across 43 sports until 4 October. In terms of participation and the size of its overall roster, the Asian Games is larger than the Olympics.
The Sports Ministry official also said it was monitoring the ongoing crisis involving hockey in India. The ministry has asked and Hockey India League franchises to resolve their differences so that the league is not put at risk and government intervention does not become necessary.
