Sharath Kamal: Indian Athletes Will Adapt to Container Accommodation at Asian Games

India’s deputy chef-de-mission for the Asian Games, A. Sharath Kamal, has said accommodation will not pose a major challenge for the country’s athletes despite the unusual arrangements planned for the Aichi-Nagoya Games. Participants will be housed in a combination of container-style rooms, a docked cruise ship and hotels, an arrangement that has drawn mixed reactions from athletes and officials representing different countries.

India is sending a contingent of 501 athletes and 265 officials to the Games, which are scheduled to begin on September 19. The Indian delegation will experience the same accommodation system as thousands of other participants, with nearly 17,000 athletes, officials and support staff expected to be spread across the different housing facilities prepared for the event.

Sharath Kamal said Indian athletes had already been given opportunities to experience similar living arrangements ahead of the Games. He explained that, following directions from the Sports Authority of India, container facilities had been created at various SAI campuses so that athletes could become familiar with the compact accommodation before travelling to Japan.

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“For the players, by the direction of the Sports Authority of India, we have had some containers built in various SAI campuses, where the athletes got an experience to stay in containers,” Sharath Kamal said. The preparation was intended to reduce unfamiliarity and help athletes adjust quickly to the accommodation provided during the multi-sport event.

He added that efforts had also been made to replicate the cruise-ship experience, as a section of the participants will stay aboard a docked vessel. According to Sharath Kamal, the advance preparation and exposure to different accommodation formats should help Indian athletes remain focused on their sporting commitments rather than being distracted by the facilities.

The Asian Games organisers have adopted the mixed accommodation model to house the large number of participants arriving for the competition. While the arrangements have prompted varied reactions among participating nations, Sharath Kamal maintained that Indian athletes are prepared to adapt to the facilities and that accommodation is unlikely to affect their participation or performance at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.

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