South Korean Olympic Chief Gives Asian Games Organizers an ‘F’
Korean Sport & Olympic Committee President Ryu Seung-min sharply criticized transportation, accommodation and protocol failures at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, saying operational problems were affecting athletes’ performances.
The head of South Korea’s national Olympic committee has given organizers of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games a failing grade, arguing that repeated operational problems have disrupted athletes and risked affecting their performances.
Ryu Seung-min, president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, delivered the criticism during a meeting with South Korean reporters at the Main Press Centre in Nagoya on Thursday. He said conditions had improved since the start of the competition but maintained that failures involving accommodation and transportation were serious enough to warrant an “F.”
Ryu, an Olympic table tennis champion and former member of the International Olympic Committee, said organizers should not rely on excuses when logistical failures interfere with competition. He described persistent problems as a sign of serious incompetence and said the South Korean delegation would respond immediately when incidents arose.
Among the cases cited was the South Korean men’s basketball team’s canceled shootaround before Sunday’s gold medal game against Japan. The team was unable to attend the session after its assigned shuttle bus failed to arrive. In another transportation error, the South Korean and Qatari men’s football teams were taken to a baseball stadium rather than the venue for their group-stage match, delaying their arrival at the correct stadium by about 30 minutes.
Protocol mistakes have added to the delegation’s frustration. North Korea’s anthem was played before a South Korean men’s field hockey game, and South Korea was introduced as the “Republic of China” at medal ceremonies. Delegations from China and Vietnam have also raised complaints about the Games’ operations.
Ryu acknowledged that mistakes such as playing the wrong anthem can be difficult to eliminate entirely, but emphasized that the speed and quality of the response are crucial. His comments place renewed pressure on organizers to correct transport, lodging and ceremony procedures while events remain underway.
Despite his criticism of the administration of the Games, Ryu said South Korean athletes remained on course to reach the delegation’s initial target of about 45 gold medals. He also addressed the presence of North Korea, saying he would not force contact with North Korean sports officials in the current atmosphere. He added that sport could take a leading role if conditions for engagement eventually emerged.