'Is this really a developed nation?' Endless hasty operations by Japan, with Qatar now the scapegoat: 'Wrong waiting room guidance led to South Korea's disqualification' [Aichi Nagoya AG]

*This content was translated by AI.

It never ends. Athlete buses went to the wrong venues, and promised vehicles failed to appear entirely. Following an incident where the North Korean national anthem played instead of South Korea's during a match involving the South Korean team, there are now claims that a loss occurred due to incorrect guidance by event officials, preventing the game from even taking place. With Japan hosting the Asian Games for the first time in 32 years, it is difficult to avoid criticism labeling the event operations as "hasty."

Yahoo Sports Taiwan reported on the 23rd that an absurd incident occurred during the group stage match between South Korea and Qatar scheduled for the 22nd at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games e-sports e-football tournament.

The match was ruled a walkover victory for South Korea because Qatari athletes failed to arrive at the venue on time. The issue lay in the reason for their tardiness. Yahoo Sports Taiwan stated, "Qatar claimed that Japanese event officials guided the team to the wrong waiting room, causing referees to be unable to locate the players, who consequently could not enter the venue by the scheduled time."

Subsequently, Qatar lodged a protest, but the ruling was not overturned. As of the morning of the 23rd, no official announcement had been made by the organizing committee acknowledging the staff's guidance error. This cannot be dismissed as a mere incident, given that similar operational mishaps have repeatedly occurred throughout this tournament.

A prime example is the men's football match between South Korea and Qatar, which started late on the 16th. According to the Korean Football Association, both teams departed their accommodations at 5:20 p.m., two hours and ten minutes before kickoff, as scheduled by the organizing committee. However, the buses arranged by the committee directed the athletes not to Mizuho Rugby Stadium, the actual venue, but to a nearby baseball field.

It was absurd enough to send football players to a baseball field; even worse, that baseball stadium was not hosting any Asian Games baseball matches. The Qatari team faced the same issue. To make matters worse, on the following day during the South Korean team's recovery training, the assigned vehicles failed to appear entirely. The Vietnamese women's Bae Gu (CEO) team also experienced vehicle issues, as drivers dropped them off at a different hotel, forcing them to pull their luggage all the way to their actual accommodation.

On the 20th, the same incident repeated during an even more critical moment. The South Korean men's basketball team was scheduled to move to their training venue just hours before the final match against host nation Japan, but the bus never arrived, forcing them to cancel their morning shooting practice entirely. The Korean Sports Council sent a letter of protest to both the organizing committee and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

There were also unbelievable incidents involving incorrect national anthems. On the 18th, prior to the men's hockey match between South Korea and Bangladesh, the North Korean national anthem played instead of South Korea's. In that case, event officials visited the South Korean team's office late at night to issue a formal apology.

Facility management was no exception. Just before the opening ceremony, an installation company mistakenly supplied excessive voltage at Park Arena Komaki, where the South Korean Bae Gu (CEO) team was set to compete, resulting in the complete destruction of all 156 stadium lights.

The troubles surrounding the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games show no signs of stopping, casting doubt on Japan's touted ability to host international events. On the 22nd, Tokyo Sports reported that "among event operation staff, there are sighs expressing that it is hard to believe this is a tournament being held in Japan," citing complaints about accommodation conditions in container houses and meal quality. The report also noted that inexperienced handling of athlete transportation arrangements continued to occur.

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*This content was translated by AI.