Nagoya mayor apologises for Asian Games logistical failures

Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa has formally apologised to athletes for what he called "inconveniences" at the ongoing Asian Games, Dawn reported. The mayor, who also chairs the local organising committee, said there had been human errors and a failure to communicate properly with national teams.

The event, which hosts over 17,000 athletes and officials, has faced numerous logistical problems. These include a shortage of beds and transport issues. Organisers opted not to build a permanent athletes' village to cut costs, using temporary wooden cabins, a cruise ship, and hotels instead.

Some teams have complained about these accommodations, saying the beds in the temporary units are too short. Earlier in the Games, organisers also apologised to South Korea after mistakenly playing the North Korean national anthem.