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Mike Chan

The Asian Games opening ceremony at Paloma Mizuho Stadium on Saturday will fire the starting gun on the first official days of competition in Nagoya and Tokyo, even if some athletes have already finished their events.
Various team sports such as basketball, football and volleyball are working their way through the group stages, while some poor unfortunates, such as Hong Kong’s Shum Chun-hei and Liu Hei-yu, have already competed and bowed out.
The pair were taking part in the modern pentathlon, which is making its Games debut, and did not qualify for the medal round on Sunday. Would you stay for the opening, or in their case, closing, ceremony?
As usual, the media has descended in their thousands to cover the regional sporting bonanza, although with some events based in Tokyo, the need to go to pick up accreditation in Nagoya caused a certain amount of irritation.
Previously, at the Olympics in Paris and before that Tokyo, and at the Games three years ago in mainland China, most credentials were sent to a journalist’s point of origin long before their departure on their overseas mission.

With Japan’s capital hosting diving, swimming and equestrian events, the bibs photographers have to wear were also supposed to be available at Tokyo Aquatics Centre, only for journalists to discover on arrival banks of deserted help desks and service tents.
“No one was working, and it wasn’t even 7pm yet,” one journalist said. “There were some other staff, but they knew nothing about those bibs, and they had no idea when the service tents would resume.
“All of them keep speaking in Japanese and don’t care whether you understand or not.”
Just like other years, free shuttle buses connect official hotels, venues and the main press centre, but are certainly not up to the host nation’s famously fastidious approach to punctuality.
On the bright side, everyone is being treated equally. Standing alongside the media’s massed ranks waiting for a connecting bus to the Aichi International Arena was the Japan women’s basketball team. Saving the best for last, of course.
And then there is the technology. This time around a different login is required at each of the venues for the Wi-fi essential for the media to tell the stories of the day in a timely fashion.
Quite what happened to the universal passwords that solved that particular problem at the previous edition in 2023, and then in France two years ago, is anyone’s guess.


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Hong Kong’s Yim Wing-ni (red) in action during a women’s volleyball preliminary match against Qatar. Some events at this year’s Asian Games started days before the opening ceremony, while others are almost over. Photo: Sam Tsang

The Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya will stage the opening and closing ceremonies and athletics. Photo: AP

Hong Kong cycling star Chloe Leung ready for race of truth in bid for Asian Games gold

Chloe Leung has paid two visits to the tight Japanese roads that will stage this weekend’s time trial. Photo: Eugene Lee

Ceci Lee (left) and Chloe Leung won the Madison race at the National Games. Photo: Karma Lo

In the Madison, riders use their hand to sling their teammate back into the race. Photo: Karma Lo

Chaos, tepid public interest at Asian Games so far, but things will heat up when it counts

A general view of the main stadium, venue for the opening and closing ceremonies and the athletics programme for the Asian Games in Nagoya starting offocially on Saturday. Photo: AP

The Costa Serena cruise ship will house up to 5,000 officials and athletes during the Asian Games. Photo: AP

Iraq taking on Laos in a mixed doubles teqball match on Friday. Photo: AP

China’s 13-year-old swimmer Yu Zidi will be one of the biggest names in Nagoya. Photo: AFP

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The opening ceremony takes place on Saturday, but some athletes have already competed and bowed out, and then there are transport issues


The opening ceremony takes place on Saturday, but some athletes have already competed and bowed out, and then there are transport issues.


Postcard from Nagoya: Asian Games opening hour nears, but teething problems remain

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The opening ceremony takes place on Saturday, but some athletes have already competed and bowed out, and then there are transport issues

The opening ceremony takes place on Saturday, but some athletes have already competed and bowed out, and then there are transport issues