"Not just a Korean issue": AG accommodation controversy erupts again... Philippines, with no rooms available, booked separately via accommodation platforms

*This content was translated by AI.

It was not just a problem for Korea.

The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games have been struggling with accommodation issues even before the official opening. Following complaints from the Korean delegation about poor facilities, the Philippines found itself short of rooms and had to use accommodation platforms.

On the 14th (Korean time), Middle Eastern outlet Al Jazeera reported that "Korean officials criticized the accommodations for the Asian Games opening in Japan as 'the worst ever,'" focusing attention on the lodging problems of this tournament.

No separate athlete village has been prepared for this event. To cut costs, the organizing committee is dispersing athletes and officials across cruise ships, temporary wooden accommodations, hotels, and other facilities.

However, problems have begun to surface even before the games officially begin in earnest.

First, the poor conditions of the temporary accommodations came under scrutiny.

In particular, complaints were strong regarding the temporary lodging used by the Korean Nam Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team.

Earlier, representative team guard Byun Jun-hyeong directly shared the interior condition of the accommodation via social media. The video showed water leaking from a sink, soaking the floor completely. Along with the video, Byun also posted a message saying, "Please help."

The size of the beds is also an issue. This is especially sensitive in basketball, where many tall players compete. According to local Japanese media, the length of single beds assigned for Asian Games accommodations is 195 cm. While additional extension mattresses can be added, the structure remains inconvenient for basketball players whose heights are around 2 meters.

Key representative team member Lee Hyun-joong also did not hide his difficulties regarding accommodation life, stating, "It's tough, but there's nothing we can do even if we complain."

Similar complaints emerged from the Chinese national basketball team. Earlier, a Chinese media official named Zao Tan said, "It is really too severe," and also revealed the accommodation conditions for the Chinese Nam Ja-nong-gu (CEO) team.

However, a more fundamental problem than facilities has surfaced: there is simply not enough accommodation to house athletes and officials at all.

The expected number of participants was originally around 15,000, but due to factors such as the addition of official events, it has swelled to over 17,000.

Concerns have already become reality. As a result of the accommodation shortage, some coaches and officials from the Philippines have had to use other hotels and accommodation platforms.

Abraham Tolentino, chairman of the Philippine Olympic Committee, stated that "all Filipino athletes have been assigned rooms," but also noted that "some officials, including coaches, have been moved to other hotels."

Al Jazeera explained, "It is expected that more than 17,000 athletes and officials will participate in this tournament, which is a larger number than the Olympics."

The outlet further reported, "The organizing committee originally expected around 15,000 participants. However, as the number of participants increased significantly beyond expectations, they revealed last month that 'there are no personnel or budget to accommodate the increased number.'"

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*This content was translated by AI.