Indian contingent scrambles to house 30-35 athletes at Asian Games

Sahdev Yadav disclosed on Friday that approximately 30 to 35 Indian athletes faced sudden accommodation shortages after arriving at the 2026 Asian Games venue, with the organising committee unilaterally removing them from the housing roster.

The Indian contingent had adhered to the athlete numbers invoiced by the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee, according to Yadav. However, the hosts subsequently struck several Indian names from the accommodation list, citing claims that more athletes than anticipated had arrived from India—a contention Yadav disputed.

"They informed us that more players than expected had come from India. But as far as India is concerned, that's not the case. We stuck to the number of players they had invoiced," Yadav said at a flag-hoisting ceremony. "But they removed some names, so we booked hotels for them."

The last-minute booking created logistical challenges for the Indian delegation, with some athletes forced to endure extended waits for room assignments. Yadav acknowledged the mismanagement in handling athlete arrivals but stated that the Indian team responded swiftly to secure alternative accommodation.

"Our team quickly swung into action to get accommodation for the athletes as quickly as possible," he added.