New Delhi: The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has rolled out a series of logistical and operational support measures for the Indian contingent at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, aiming to ensure athletes can focus on competition throughout the Games.Working alongside the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), the Embassy of India in Japan and the Games Organising Committee, SAI has stationed a dedicated reception and assistance team at the airport to welcome athletes, coaches and support staff arriving in Japan. At the onset of the Games, Indian diaspora had also stepped in to come to the assistance of the athletes if required.The team is assisting the contingent with immigration and arrival formalities, providing refreshments and guiding members to their accommodation and competition venues.Among the key initiatives is dedicated transport for India’s shooting squad, with vehicles arranged to ferry athletes to and from competition venues. SAI has also deployed cars for medical personnel, allowing them to move quickly between venues and provide timely assistance to athletes.To address accommodation constraints, the organisation has secured additional rooms for coaches and support staff who could not be housed by the Games organisers because of limited availability.
Indian athletes on arrival in Japan for the 2026 Asian Games. (Photo by special arrangement)
Double Asian Games 2026 medallist Rudrankksh Patil had spoken about accommodation issues he and his other shooting contingent faced in Aichi-Nagoya.Patil highlighted that the contingent had to wait for hours for their bus to arrive at the airport, and then the coaches had a disagreement with the hotel staff after they were not offered the hotel they booked their rooms in.“We went to the welcoming centre. It took us three hours to wait for the bus over there. At 2 or 3 am, we started leaving for the hotel and reached there at around 3:30 or 4 am. After reaching the hotel, we realised that the hotel we had booked was not our hotel, we only had a couple of rooms over there, and that was supposed to be the best hotel,” said Patil.
Indian athletes in Aichi-Nagoya for the 2026 Asian Games. (Photo by special arrangement)
“And our coaches were fighting over there that if you can give us the confirmation for the best hotel, then how are you shifting us to some other hotel?” he added.The coordinated support forms part of SAI’s efforts to provide seamless logistical, medical and operational assistance at the continental showpiece in Japan.
