Costa Serena welcomed in Nagoya for athlete accommodation
The Italian cruise ship will serve as lodging for athletes, officials and other participants during the Asian Games.
Costa Serena has docked at Kinjo Pier in Nagoya, where it received an official welcome. Around 4,000 athletes and officials will be housed aboard the vessel, which weighs more than 100,000 tonnes and has 1,500 cabins. It is expected to provide about 4,000 stays for athletes and other participants from September 16 through October 6, with capacity for up to 5,000 officials and athletes.
Aichi Governor Hideaki Omura, chairman of the organizing committee, said using a cruise ship for accommodation marked a first for an international sporting event held in Japan. Organizers said the vessel was being chartered for about 4.5 billion yen, or US$28 million.
Accommodation concerns have also emerged. A South Korean Sports and Olympic Committee official told AFP that representatives of all 45 competing nations had shared concerns. Jung Jae-yong, vice president of the Korea Basketball Association, told AFP he was deeply unhappy with the cabins assigned to the men’s basketball team and said the beds were too small. A player posted a social media video showing a leaking sink and a soaked floor in his cabin.