Asian Games 2026: India Among Teams Hit by Flag Hoisting Ceremony Delay

India was among five contingents affected after the traditional Asian Games flag-hoisting ceremony in Nagoya was delayed and later interrupted on Friday, September 18. Yemen, North Korea, Palestine and Timor-Leste were the other delegations scheduled for the ceremony at Garden Pier.

Organisers initially announced a 20-minute delay, citing unspecified “trouble” involving one of the participating teams. The ceremony eventually started but was halted again, leaving members of the Indian contingent waiting. India’s deputy chefs de mission A Sharath Kamal, Lijo David Thottan, Alaknanda Ashok and Anjali Bhagwat were present at the venue, with Kamal and Bhagwat having begun moving towards the dais before returning after the interruption.

The incident came a day before the official opening ceremony of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and added to questions surrounding preparations for the event. Organisational issues have already been reported around athlete accommodation and transportation.

Instead of a conventional Games Village, organisers have arranged accommodation across hotels, container-style facilities and the Costa Serena cruise ship. Some athletes and officials have reported delays in room allocation and difficulties travelling to training venues.

Indian athletes have also spoken about transport-related problems, while Chef de Mission Sahdev Yadav acknowledged issues with some arrangements. Badminton player Satwiksairaj Rankireddy had earlier said members of the contingent faced a lengthy wait for a bus.

The Asian Games officially begin on September 19, although competitions in several disciplines have already started. The disrupted flag-hoisting ceremony has placed additional attention on the event’s logistical arrangements ahead of the opening ceremony.