IOC chief Coventry gives thumbs-up to Asian Games accommodation despite criticism

NAGOYA (Agencies): International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry threw her weight behind the beleaguered Asian Games organisers on Sunday, saying ​she was impressed with the athletes’ accommodation in Nagoya despite ‌criticism from some competitors. Japanese organisers scrapped initial plans for a dedicated Athletes’ Village in an effort to control costs, opting instead to house 17,000 athletes and officials across hotels, ​shipping-container-style huts and a cruise ship. Several athletes have complained about ​cramped living quarters and undersized beds, but Coventry gave the ⁠facilities a resounding thumbs-up after inspecting the accommodation at Garden Pier. “The cabins ​are quiet, they’re very cool. The air conditioning is working well. The ​flooring and the walls are beautiful,” Coventry told reporters afterwards. “It’s better than some of the (athletes’) villages I’ve ever stayed in. So I think to be very fair to ​Japan and to the organising committee, I was really impressed.

“I’d only been ​reading everything that had been said, and I was expecting something completely different to ‌when ⁠I walked in. And I hope that you guys will get to experience the same thing.” Coventry, a former Olympic swimming champion, said this was not the first time athletes had been housed in such modular setups ​even though these were ​slightly smaller ⁠than the cabins used in Milano Cortina Winter Olympics earlier this year. “We had cabins in 2000, my very first (Olympic) ​Games in Australia. It’s not a new concept. I’m ​not ⁠necessarily concerned about the look.” The overarching priority remained ensuring that competitors enjoyed a positive overall experience, the Zimbabwean added. “I think what athletes expect from us ⁠is that ​there needs to be a minimum level ​of standards, right? And we’re going to try and work with everybody to do that.”