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Asian Games billeting, “worst ever”?……
BILLETING and accommodation is always been a primary concern of every host country, whether a regional sporting event like the ongoing Asian Games in Achi-Nagoya, Japan.
SPORTS
Roberto “Bobby” Rondez
9/21/20263 min read
BILLETING and accommodation is always been a primary concern of every host country, whether a regional sporting event like the ongoing Asian Games in Achi-Nagoya, Japan. Being a host it comes not only with pride and prestige, but likewise with great responsibility insuring visiting athletes. officials and tourist, their safety, and wellness throughout the duration of the games.
Long before the Games started, the Nagoya Organising Committee came under hail of complaint and criticism even online bashing from athletes, officials, respective sports federation heads and representatives. Almost resulting into a mere hosting nightmare. Perhaps should I can call it a disaster due lack of preparation? or insensitivity in anticipating the problems might come up.
Complaints come not only one from delegation, also athletes, coaches and officials amounting to rooms not having enough space to stretch their legs, the beds where hard as a rock, limited food choices. Indian delegation athletes said there were not enough protein nutritions dietary. As Korean basketball coach labeled the accommodation as the “Worst Ever” What makes it even worst, confusion in the list of athletes’ accreditation were missing.
Other complaints. such as toilet sinks were leaking, heat and humidity still prevailing in Nagoya, athletes were stressed getting not enough sleep as there were no air conditioning in their wooden built accommodations. Transportation that will suppose to take them fo their practice venues, were always late. Indian delegation where reportedly force to take a rest and slept on the floor outside their supposed rooms as organiser head of the billeting struggled in making the arrangement.
I don’t know if the Nagoya organizers are trying to be unique as far as the accommodation is concerned as they built wooden rooms, as the size and length of a container van and converted a commercial cruise ship into athletes’ village. Two weeks prior the Games opener, Nagoya were hit by massive flooding due to heavy rains and some athletes, who arrived ahead early were evacuated to safer place/
There also news reports as quoted from an Indian News Channel, that Philippine delegation has moved out from the Games Village to a nearby hotels and Air BnB accommodations. Also stated in the said news, The Chinese delegation also moved out the Games hub, as they booked hotel accommodation as far as Tokyo. Thus very inconvenient as entire delegations will have to commute for about an hour to their respective playing venue throughout for 12-day,
With the billeting in total messed. I hope the organzers would act fast and swift to correct what appeared to be a pending organisational failure. Though the athletes are not allegedly, neither they should be given a luxurious rooms, at least they deserve a proper and decent place to stay and rest.
This corner was once upon time a visitor in Japan, when I had a privileged to chronicle the Philippine participation during the 1989 World Children’s Baseball Championship (age 11-12) hosted in held Tokyo. All participating countries were billeted at the athletes’ dormitory, an infrastructure already in placed that housed more than a thousand athletes and officials when Japan first hosted the Olympics in 1964, And the food and other amenities? Well, wasn’t that bad at all.
From disaster to another, first time in year Gilas Pilipinas went home early days before the opening of the 20th Asian Games, following a 44-point loses to China, 67-109 and got knocked out of the tournament and failed to even move to the quarterfinals due to a poor quotient. Prior to that, Gilas dropped its opening match to Bahrain, 80-89.
What’s more disgusting about the loss, Gilas was allegedly playing not to win, but simply protecting a plus 27 point quotient, meaning, should it loss to the Chinese, not more 37-points or less , following their lone victory to Kazakhstan, 108-61,and went boomerang on them and the defeat was likewise historic. as never since the Asian Games started, the Philippines ever eliminated in the early stages.
Gilas-Pilipinas’ defeat didn/t stop there, even the Senators where alarmed as Senator Bong Go, who chaired the Senate Committee on Sports Development, questioned SBP hierarchy, why is it, failed to included in their line up at least one naturalized player right from start, since Go’s committee even fast track the naturalizaton of Benny Boatwright and Malik Diup, Gilas and Ginebra resident import is not available and in the States trying recover from a multiple injuries.
It’s indexed a management failure on the part of SBP, they should anticipated these problem right the start since the Asian Games wasn’t just popped out from of events calendared, and they know the Games is coming, and they should form and prepare an alternative plan should the main core Gilas is available due to one reason or another.
These kind of oraganization embarrassment shouldn’t not happened again, not ever. Legitimate defeat? yes that alright, stupidity? No
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