Games-Asian Games organisers, OCA say accommodation secured despite entry surge

Asian Games organisers in Japan and the Olympic Council ​of Asia (OCA) said on Friday that accommodation ​had been secured for all 17,000-plus ‌athletes and ​officials registered before the close of entries in July. The joint statement from the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee and the OCA came two ‌days after organisers told Reuters they were in talks on ways to reduce participant numbers after registrations rose well above the projected 15,000.

"All the 17,000-plus athletes and officials that are registered for the Asian Games ‌before the closing of entry by name in July have been provided with Games-appropriate accommodation," the ‌statement said. "Unless there are exceptional circumstances, no further registrations have been or will be permitted."

The OCA said last week that entries had risen to around 17,000, including 11,000 athletes and 6,000 officials, for the Games scheduled to be held in ⁠Nagoya and ​the Aichi region from ⁠September 19 to October 4. The increase had raised concerns about accommodation, with the Games set to house competitors and officials in ⁠hotels, temporary wooden accommodation in Nagoya and aboard the Costa Serena cruise ship rather than in a traditional ​athletes' village.

Earlier this week, Games organising committee head Hideaki Ohmura said the organisers had budgeted for ⁠15,000 participants, a figure specified in the host city agreement. "If that number (15,000) is exceeded, there is little we can do. We ⁠physically ​lack the accommodation space ... If they intend to come regardless, they will simply have to find a way to manage it themselves," Ohmura told reporters on Tuesday.

Ohmura, who is also governor of ⁠Aichi Prefecture, said the addition of sports such as padel and teqball had created extra demands on ⁠organisers, with the respective ⁠Asian and Japanese federations helping to organise and fund those competitions. Despite concerns over rising participant numbers, the OCA and organisers said preparations remained on track ‌for the Games.