The 17,000‑strong Indian contingent arrived in Nagoya to find their credentials checked for a slow, 3‑hour grind, with some stuck for up to 14 hours on the tarmac before even seeing a seat.
The airport chaos was just the opening act: a 4,000‑person crowd was crammed onto the Costa Serena cruise ship, while a string of container‑style huts—promised to double as disaster shelters—offered barely enough room for a single suitcase.
The decision to abandon the classic Games village was a gamble that backfired; the lack of a central hub left athletes scrambling for transport, and the once‑promised “future‑use” huts lacked even basic luggage space. And the timing couldn't have been worse—Typhoon Dujuan still loomed on the coast, adding a layer of tension to an already chaotic start.
Japanese deputy chef de mission Hisashi Mizutori admitted the slowdown, blaming “activation of credentials” as the main culprit. An Indian Olympic Association veteran echoed the frustration, noting that the Indian shooters missed a 75‑minute practice slot and had to wait over two hours to reach the Aichi Prefectural Shooting Gallery after a three‑hour buffer. Food shortages compounded the misery: some contingents were forced to eat off‑site, while others struggled with unfamiliar, hard‑to‑digest fare.
With the Games opening Saturday, the real test will be whether the athletes can shake off the delay and perform on the field, court, or track. The organizers’ scramble to fix logistics now becomes the next headline‑making story, as the 2026 Asiad pushes forward against a backdrop of broken promises and packed schedules.