The Asian Games accommodation debate has intensified after a cruise ship arrived in Japan to house thousands of athletes and officials during the multi-sport event.
The Italian cruise ship Costa Serena docked in Nagoya on Tuesday. The city is hosting the Games, which will officially open on Saturday and run until October 4.
Around 4,000 athletes and officials are expected to stay aboard the vessel. The ship is almost 300 metres long and weighs more than 100,000 tonnes. It has around 1,500 cabins.
More than 17,000 athletes and officials are expected to attend the Games. That figure is higher than the number involved in the Olympics.
Accommodation Complaints Grow
The organisers have used several types of accommodation to reduce costs. These include standard hotel rooms and wooden, container-style huts.
However, concerns have emerged over the temporary huts. South Korean officials described the rooms earlier this week as the “worst ever”.
On Tuesday, a South Korean sports official said accommodation concerns were being raised by representatives from all 45 participating nations. Officials are now working together to find solutions.
Athletes Raise Concerns
Jung Jae-yong, vice president of the Korea Basketball Association, said he was deeply unhappy with the cabins provided for the men’s basketball team.
He said some beds were too small for the players. A South Korean basketball player also shared a social media video showing a leaking sink and water covering part of the floor inside his accommodation.
The player added the caption, “Please help us”.
A Taiwanese sports official also reported a general shortage of beds. Meanwhile, Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino said all Filipino athletes had received rooms.
However, some Philippine officials, including coaches, were moved to other hotels and Airbnb properties.
Cruise Ship Offers New Accommodation Model
The arrival of Costa Serena gives organisers another option for housing athletes. Local organising committee president Hideaki Omura said the approach could become a model for more financially sustainable sporting events.
Omura said this was the first time Japan had used a cruise ship as accommodation for a major international sporting event.
The vessel was reportedly chartered for about 4.5 billion yen ($28 million). Organisers hope the ship will provide more comfortable conditions for athletes and reduce pressure on other accommodation facilities.
Cruise ships have been used to house participants at previous international sporting events. However, the scale of the Costa Serena operation is unusual.
Flooding Adds to Accommodation Challenges
Accommodation problems have been made more difficult by extreme weather in Nagoya.
Hundreds of athletes were briefly evacuated from their accommodation last week after record rainfall caused flooding in parts of the city.
The Games are also taking place during Japan’s typhoon season. Organisers will therefore have to monitor weather conditions throughout the competition.
Despite the complaints, Costa Serena captain Federico Sias said he hoped the athletes would enjoy a safe and memorable stay.
Organisers Hope Conditions Improve
The Costa Serena is a sister ship of the Costa Concordia, which sank off the Italian coast in 2012. That disaster killed 32 people.
For the Asian Games, however, organisers are presenting the cruise ship as a practical solution to a major accommodation challenge.
The wider debate highlights the difficulty of hosting a huge international sporting event while keeping costs under control. With thousands of athletes still arriving and competition yet to begin, organisers will be hoping the accommodation situation improves quickly.
The Asian Games will continue in Nagoya until October 4, with athletes competing across numerous sports.
