Archive · 17 Sep 2026
Transport Chaos Strands Athletes Before Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games
Many athletes arrived at a venue near the airport before the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
They expected buses to take them to their accommodation.
However, the transport system could not find information for many athletes.
Because of this, several teams had to wait for hours.
China’s gymnastics team was among those delayed the longest.
Some athletes trained while waiting, and others tried to find different transport.
Staff and volunteers could not give a clear departure time.
The venue had water but no food.
The delays led to concerns about how smoothly the Games would be managed.
Transport delays stranded athletes and officials for hours at Aichi Sky Expo ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Many delegations could not board official shuttles because athlete information was missing from the on-site system.
China’s gymnastics team waited nearly six hours, while other Chinese teams also faced lengthy delays.
Teams from Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka reported extended waits, with Sri Lanka’s total journey and waiting time reaching 24 hours.
The venue provided drinking water but no food, prompting concerns about coordination and the Games’ operational readiness.
- Who
- Athletes, officials and volunteers from China, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka and other countries and regions.
- What
- A transport and registration-system breakdown left delegations stranded for hours while waiting for official transfers.
- When
- Wednesday ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games; specific calendar date was not provided.
- Where
- Aichi Sky Expo, next to Chubu Centrair International Airport near Nagoya.
- Why
- Many athlete records could not be found in the on-site system, while a volunteer attributed the disruption to poor coordination between departments.
- Venue
- Aichi Sky Expo
- Affected groups
- Athletes and officials from multiple countries and regions
- System problem
- The on-site system could not find information for many athletes
- China’s gymnastics team
- Only two of 21 members were found in the system, and the team left around 6 p.m.
- China’s badminton team
- The full team finally left Aichi Sky Expo at 4:30 p.m. after chartered vehicles were arranged
- Sri Lankan delegation
- An official said the team’s total travel and waiting time had reached 24 hours by around 7 p.m.
- Conditions at venue
- Drinking water was available, but no food was provided