The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games opened on the 19th in the Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya City area of Japan.
Yet just four days after the opening, various operational missteps came to light.
Why are such incidents occurring repeatedly at this particular Games?
Three-line summary
1. Various operational missteps have occurred at the Asian Games.
2. North Korea's national anthem played instead of the national anthem at a hockey match.
3. Observers point to the absence of a major advertising agency as the cause.
Incidents Accumulating in Four Days
On the 15th, at the athletes' village welcoming ceremony, a person dressed as Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a principal figure in the 16th-century invasion of Joseon, appeared. The Korean Sport and Olympic Committee filed an official protest, but the organizing committee continued to operate a photo zone featuring him as content in official cultural programs, escalating the controversy. On the 18th, at a men's hockey group-stage match between South Korea and Bangladesh, North Korea's national anthem played instead of the national anthem, prompting an official apology from the organizing committee.
Beyond this, there were ongoing issues such as insufficient food provided to delegations and buses taking teams to wrong locations, and some delegations moved to hotels instead of the athletes' village after protesting. As these situations became known through athletes' social media, criticism from Asian countries poured in. According to the Kyunghyang Shinmun, Japan's Jiji Press pointed out that "the numerous preparation shortages and mistakes could raise questions about the capability to operate large-scale international sports events."
Why This Games in Particular?
The Kyunghyang Shinmun pointed to the absence of a major advertising firm as the background for this operational inexperience. Japan had previously conducted the operations and marketing of major sporting events such as the Olympics through a system led by the advertising firm Dentsu. However, it was later revealed that Dentsu was implicated in misconduct during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics sponsor selection process, after which Dentsu's bidding on public projects was restricted.
As a result, this Games was prepared primarily by local governments and regional advertising firms. An organizing committee official told Jiji Press, "There were difficulties building operational expertise and personnel from scratch, one by one." Online criticism was even harsher given that Japan is a nation that had championed the spirit of hospitality, so-called "Omotenashi," in its 2013 pitch to host the Tokyo Olympics.
Cricket Elimination Controversy Also Reflects the Same Context
The operational inexperience controversy extended to other sports. According to Nocut News, the Chinese women's cricket team had its quarterfinal match canceled when rain the day before the match left water pooled on the field, failing to meet safety standards. Per tournament regulations, the result was decided by world rankings, and China, ranked 42nd in the world, was recorded as having lost to Bangladesh, ranked 10th.
The Chinese team, returning to the Asian Games stage for the first time in 12 years, was eliminated without playing a single match. Chinese media outlet Xinhua News asked "Why wasn't the match rescheduled?" and questioned the decision method relying solely on rankings, while China Youth Daily reported that the team's captain shed tears.
The Games continue through the 4th of next month. How the organizing committee addresses these issues in the remaining time will be something that remains in retrospect on this Games.
References
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