Sport · India Bureau
India seeks diaspora help to ease Asian Games accommodation crisis
With athlete housing in short supply at the Asian Games, India's Sports Ministry has appealed to the diaspora community for assistance. The contingency measure comes as organisers struggle to house competitors across makeshift facilities and improvised venues.
LSN India ·
India's delegation to the Asian Games is facing an unprecedented accommodation crunch, prompting the Sports Ministry to mobilise the diaspora as a backup measure to lodge athletes during the continental showpiece beginning Saturday.
The housing shortage stems from organisers' decision to forgo a traditional athletes village, instead dispersing competitors across container-style accommodation, a docked cruise ship, and scattered hotels. The arrangement has already triggered complaints from multiple nations and delayed room allocations for Indian athletes.
India's Chef-de-Mission Sahdev Yadav confirmed Friday that approximately 35 Indian competitors have already been relocated to commercial hotels after failing to secure their designated accommodation from event organisers. With the full Indian contingent expected to arrive in phases according to competition schedules, officials anticipate the situation may deteriorate further.
The Ministry's outreach to overseas Indian communities represents a proactive measure to prevent further disruptions to athlete preparations and competition timelines. The contingency arrangement underscores the mounting logistical challenges facing the Games organisers as the event officially commences.