Nagoya (Japan) (AFP) - The mayor of Nagoya apologized Wednesday to athletes for organizational errors that upset them during the Asian Games in the Japanese city, after a series of complaints.

Published on: 09/30/2026 - 11:46

The largest sporting event on the continent was marred by several problems, including a shortage of beds and transportation problems.

More than 17,000 athletes and officials are participating in the tournament, which is more than the number of participants in the Olympic Games, while countries accused the local organizers of mismanagement.

“We must extend our apologies to the athletes and others who were harmed by these errors,” said Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa, who also serves as acting head of the local organizing committee. “We must honestly review the mishandling that occurred.”

He continued, "There were human errors and a lack of communication with the national teams. We are dealing with the situation based on what happened."

Unlike previous tournaments, there is no athletes' village in an effort to save money, with participants instead staying in makeshift wooden units, on a cruise ship and in hotels.

Some teams complained about the makeshift cabins, and some even said the beds were too short.

Early in the tournament, local organizers apologized to South Korea after playing the North Korean national anthem by mistake.

There were also problems related to athletes' buses, as they did not run at the specified times, did not arrive at all, or went to the wrong sports facilities.

Some athletes were also stuck for hours at the airport upon arriving in Nagoya to participate in the Games, which started on September 19.

The session, held in Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture, will conclude on Sunday.

© 2026 AFP

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