Cricketers competing at this month’s Asian Games in Japan are set to receive better accommodation than athletes in many other sports, the head of Japanese cricket said Wednesday, after concerns were raised about the lack of five-star hotels for players.
A Sri Lankan official said this week that some of Asia’s leading cricket teams had expressed concerns about accommodation and facilities at the Games, which begin Sept. 19 in Nagoya and the wider Aichi region.
Cricket remains a minor sport in Japan, and matches will be played at a newly built, purpose-designed venue. Reports have raised concerns about the facilities, including tents being used as dressing rooms and washrooms located some distance from the playing area.
Unlike previous Asian Games, the event will not have a dedicated athletes’ village. Organizers are instead accommodating competitors in cabins aboard a cruise ship, rooms in temporary wooden structures and hotels across the region.
Organizers said last week that accommodation was already stretched to the limit after the number of Asian Games athletes rose to 17,000.
