WATCH: Indian athletes stranded for 14 hours in Nagoya before Asian Games 2026

India have sent 508 athletes to the Aichi-Nagoya Games.

India’s preparation for the Asian Games 2026 faced a major disruption as their athletes were reportedly stranded for more than 14 hours due to delays in providing accommodation.

Athletes from India and other countries had to wait for several hours to get accommodation after arriving in Nagoya, Japan.

According to media reports, contingents from India, Vietnam, China, South Korea, and Thailand were affected by the accommodation shortages.

The long wait at the airport was confirmed by India’s MMA fighter Varun Sanyal, who wrote on X, “I can confirm this is true… I’m currently on 7 hours and counting.”

Apart from room shortages, which have affected the Asian Games 2026 from the start, several other issues caused chaos for the Indian contingent. Media reports revealed that in some cases, accommodation already earmarked for Indian athletes and officials was cancelled without prior information.

Furthermore, a system failure affecting athlete information meant some athletes were unable to board their designated shuttles.

This led to several athletes waiting for hours at the airport before alternative transfer arrangements were made. During this delay, the athletes were provided with drinking water, but that did little to ease their frustration.

Also Read: ‘Bed too short’—After cricketers, South Korea athletes point out poor accommodation in ‘worst-ever’ Asian Games

India face preparation setbacks

This is not the first time the Indian contingent has faced issues at the Asian Games 2026, which will start on September 19. Even before the tournament began, the BCCI expressed concern about the accommodation arrangements made by the tournament organisers for the Indian cricket teams.

Now, the Indian shooting contingent is reportedly facing problems with the training venue’s location, which is more than two hours away from their accommodation. The shooting team has been housed in multiple hotels. The shooters have to assemble at one hotel for breakfast before travelling to the training venue.

This has led to delays in preparation, with the shooting events starting on September 20. The contingent has reportedly raised the issue with the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI).

Earlier, officials from the Singapore basketball team raised concerns about the shipping container-style rooms provided to the players. Due to the small beds, Basketball players were unable to stretch out their legs

Furthermore, Thailand’s sepak takraw team was also left stranded at the Nagoya airport after arriving on September 16.

Their accommodation details were missing from the system, leaving them without assigned rooms aboard the Italian cruise ship Costa Serena, which is being used to house the athletes. As a result, the players had to wait on the cruise ship’s lobby floor.

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