Chaotic Asian Games in Japan raise questions about future Olympic hosting
SCMP · 3 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
The 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya drew to a close on Sunday after a tumultuous fortnight that saw record-breaking athletic performances overshadowed by persistent logistical failures. Athletes and officials from across Asia faced a catalogue of mishaps, including being transported to incorrect venues, extended waits at airports, and inadequate sleeping arrangements for the more than 17,000 participants . The South Korean Olympic chief publicly graded the event an F, while Japan's own Olympic committee president acknowledged significant shortcomings . Sports analysts suggest the damage to Japan's reputation as a reliable sporting host may complicate future bids for major international events .
Key Points
- Over 17,000 athletes and officials attended the Aichi-Nagoya Games, exceeding the number of participants at the Paris Olympics, yet organisers failed to provide sufficient beds for everyone .
- South Korean hockey players were subjected to the North Korean national anthem instead of their own anthem, prompting diplomatic embarrassment for the local organising committee .
- Ryu Seung-min, president of the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee, delivered a scathing assessment: "If I were to give them a grade, it would be an F" .
- Japanese Olympic Committee president Seiko Hashimoto conceded that "there were many problems" but maintained the country's interest in hosting more international events .
- Despite the chaos, the Games produced over 150 world, junior, and continental records, with China's 13-year-old swimmer Yu Zidi emerging as a standout star .
Why It Matters
The organisational failures at the Asian Games deal a significant blow to Japan's ambitions of hosting additional major sporting events. Professor Hirokazu Arai, a sports psychology specialist, warned that "if Japan were to bid for the Olympics again, trust in Japan may have fallen and it might be harder to win a bid" . The timing is particularly problematic given that Japan has already abandoned its bid to host the Winter Olympics in Sapporo due to insufficient public support, a decision Hashimoto confirmed . For Hong Kong athletes, the chaos served as a cautionary tale about the importance of robust contingency planning at international multi-sport events, even as Hong Kong representatives like Cado Lee Ka-to managed to navigate the challenges to complete their participation .
The organisational failures at the Asian Games deal a significant blow to Japan's ambitions of hosting additional major sporting events. Professor Hirokazu Arai, a sports psychology specialist, warned that "if Japan were to bid for the Olympics again, trust in Japan may have fallen and it might be harder to win a bid" . The timing is particularly problematic given that Japan has already abandoned its bid to host the Winter Olympics in Sapporo due to insufficient public support, a decision Hashimoto confirmed . For Hong Kong athletes, the chaos served as a cautionary tale about the importance of robust contingency planning at international multi-sport events, even as Hong Kong representatives like Cado Lee Ka-to managed to navigate the challenges to complete their participation .