The Indian Olympic Association has said that if BCCI wants its cricketers to receive special accommodation apart from all other Indian athletes in Aichi-Nagoya for the Asian Games, the cricket board will have to take full responsibility for the players, including food and ensuring that they reach the venue on time, according to a report in The Times of India.
The IOA, meanwhile, will not seek separate accommodation arrangements for cricket, leaving it to BCCI and the Organising Committee to work out an amicable solution.
IOA CEO Raghuram Iyer, speaking to The Times of India, said that BCCI is free to make its own accommodation arrangements if the hotels offered by the organisers don’t meet its requirements.
But the decision and the associated logistical
responsibilities would rest with BCCI.
“BCCI CEO Hemang Amin got in touch with us, and we had a fruitful discussion. They are contemplating sending an advance team to Japan to assess the facilities,” Iyer said.
“The IOA is completely fine with that. Based on their assessment, they can decide whether they want to use the organisers’ facilities or make their own arrangements,” Iyer added.
For now, the Games organisers have designated accommodation for both Indian teams. As per the report, the men’s team will stay at the three-star APA Hotel Nagoya Ekimae, while the women’s team has been assigned the four-star Meitetsu Grand Hotel.
Both properties have the requisite amenities, but they are a grade below the five-star accommodation to which India’s cricketers are accustomed. Rooms will be provided on a twin-sharing basis as well, which is another major point of contention.
The women’s team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, will face the first logistical challenge. They return from the Asia Cup in Dubai on Sunday, September 13 and are scheduled to fly to Nagoya the next day. Their campaign starts on September 17.
As per the report, an advance team will travel to Japan early next week to inspect the hotels, cricket venue and other facilities before BCCI takes a final call.
“BCCI is taking care of its athletes, and sending an advance team is the right way to assess the facilities before making a decision. We are completely for the well-being of the athletes,” Iyer said.
“The objective is to ensure athletes can focus only on their performance and don’t face logistical issues. We are thinking well in advance about their welfare, comfort and acclimatisation and this is something which is happening for the first time,” Iyer added.
