The Indian contingent has faced a series of accommodation and logistical problems at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, with issues ranging from room shortages and delayed check-ins to accreditation and transportation difficulties.
India’s Chef de Mission Sahdev Yadav has now acknowledged the problems and said the contingent has made its own arrangements to ensure athletes do not face further difficulties. The Indian team has booked additional hotel rooms and arranged transport for athletes amid the reported shortage of accommodation.
India Books Additional Rooms
Yadav said India had already booked 18 additional rooms and planned to secure 10 more. He also said the Sports Authority of India (SAI) had made separate arrangements for travel and accommodation for its athletes.
“Everyone has accommodation, and there is no problem from our side. There were some issues initially, which is why we booked an additional hotel. Our team is going directly to the airport. The accreditation process is quite lengthy and is being done on the cruise, so it is taking a lot of time. There are also some transportation issues, but we have made our own arrangements for cars and hotels for our players. We have already booked 18 rooms and will book another 10 today. There is definitely a shortage of accommodation,” Yadav told the reporters.
Yadav also revealed that India’s accommodation quota was reduced after the contingent reached Japan, leaving officials with little time to make alternative arrangements.
“When we arrived here, we were informed that our accommodation quota had been reduced. So, we had to book additional hotels within a day,” he concluded.
Yadav Says Athletes Are The Priority
Despite the problems, Yadav said the focus should remain on the athletes and their preparations rather than on finding someone to blame.
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“There has been some mismanagement, but this is such a big event that anything can happen. However, we don’t want to focus on who is at fault. Our priority is to look after our children, resolve all their problems and ensure they are comfortable and well taken care of. We want them to focus on their performance, win medals and then relax. That is our wish, and that is what we are working towards,” he added.
The accommodation problems have been reported since the Indian contingent started arriving in Nagoya. Several athletes have faced delays in getting rooms, while transportation and access to training facilities have also emerged as concerns.
Pranati Nayak And Coach Face Late-Night Room Mix-Up
The problems took another turn on Thursday when Indian gymnast Pranati Nayak and her coach Ashok Mishra were reportedly assigned the same room on the cruise ship being used to accommodate members of the Indian contingent.
The issue was raised with officials, and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) eventually stepped in. Separate accommodation was arranged for the duo at around 1:30 am.
However, Mishra’s problems did not end there. When he went to collect the keys to his separate room, hotel staff could not find his booking in their records.
A clerical error in the official paperwork was reportedly behind the confusion, with a letter missing from his name in the system. Officials then had to verify his accreditation and correct the records, which took another 45 minutes. Mishra was finally able to get to his room after 2:00 am.
Pranati later confirmed that the accommodation mix-up had taken place.
“Yes, there was a mix-up during the accommodation. It was resolved around 2:00 am,” the gymnast said as quoted by NDTV.
More Accommodation Problems Reported
The Pranati-Mishra incident is the latest in a series of accommodation-related problems faced by athletes in Nagoya. Reports have also emerged of athletes waiting for hours to receive rooms, while some teams have faced issues with transport and access to training and nutrition facilities.
The Indian kabaddi contingent has also reportedly faced hotel mix-ups and delayed check-ins after arriving in Japan.
With competitions getting underway, the Indian contingent will now hope the off-field issues are brought under control quickly so athletes can concentrate on their events and medal campaigns.