'Absurd Japanese Showboating': 12 Years Since the Last Final, "The Bus Didn't Come"... Men's Basketball Could Not Train at All in the Morning 'Nagoya Hostile Tactics Beyond the Line' [Aichi Nagoya AG]

*This content was translated by AI.

The South Korean men's basketball national team, aiming for its first Asian Games gold medal in 12 years, experienced an absurd situation where the bus scheduled to transport them to the training venue on the day of the final failed to appear, forcing them to cancel their entire morning training session.

Coach Nikolaj Madsen's Lee Kkeu-neun (CEO) team will face host nation Japan in the tournament final at Aichi International Arena at 7:40 p.m. on the 20th. This marks their first gold medal challenge since the 2014 Incheon Games, and their fifth overall. A victory would see them claim the Asian Games title for the first time on foreign soil in 44 years, since the 1982 New Delhi Games. Historically, South Korea leads the head-to-head record with 48 wins and 22 losses, having already defeated Japan 100-83 in the group stage of this tournament.

According to basketball circles, the national team had planned to travel to a separate gymnasium at 10 a.m. on the day of the final via an assigned bus to conduct light warm-up drills including shooting practice. However, the promised vehicle never arrived without any explanation.

Facing their first-ever Asian Games final against the host nation, the national team found itself stranded just before this crucial match and ultimately had no choice but to cancel all planned morning training sessions.

The Korean Sports Council stated, "We have sent a formal protest letter to the organizing committee and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), and we plan to request a meeting with senior officials of the organizing committee," signaling strong official action. A representative from the Korea Basketball Association added, "The players will remain calm and focused on preparing for the final in the remaining time."

Meanwhile, this tournament officially opened on the 19th and has been plagued by ongoing controversies over inadequate operations and alleged hostile tactics from the host, including persistent criticism regarding unsuitable accommodation facilities even before the event began.

Earlier, the men's football national team also faced significant difficulties, with a driver mistakenly heading to an unrelated baseball field ahead of their match against Qatar, and a scheduled bus failing to arrive on training day. Additionally, at the men's hockey venue, a major incident occurred where the North Korean national anthem was played instead of the South Korean national anthem, prompting the sports council to file a formal protest with the organizing committee.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.