"Does Japan Feed Its Athletes Like This?" — National Team Athletes Furious Over Three Pieces of Chicken and Broccoli

[Financial News] Criticism is spreading on social media over inadequate meals at the athletes' village cafeteria for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
On the 17th, a Thai user on X, formerly Twitter, shared a video showing conditions at the athletes' village cafeteria with the official hashtag '#Asiangames2026.' The user sharply criticized the arrangements, saying, "Does Japan serve athletes meals like this? It's really pathetic. They give us far too little. How are we supposed to have the strength to compete?"
The video shows a man wearing a black national team uniform emblazoned with the Thai flag and an accreditation card around his neck as he waits in line with a tray. Rather than serving themselves, athletes were given food by staff. The meal consisted of three pieces of chicken, broccoli, pasta and other items, prompting criticism that the portions were far too small.
The cafeteria controversy is not the only issue surrounding the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Earlier, the Thai national sepak takraw team reportedly slept on the floor of a cruise ship's lobby after its accommodation assignment was omitted from the records. Some Indian teams in other sports reportedly waited 14 hours before being assigned lodging.
Varun Sanyal, an Indian MMA athlete competing in the Games, expressed anger, saying, "If this had happened in India, we would have become a laughingstock around the world." He claimed that, despite having an official accreditation card (AD card) after arriving in Japan, a failure to process his information electronically left him without accommodation for 14 hours. He also alleged that meals were not properly provided afterward.
[email protected] Kim Hee-sun Reporter