The traditional flag-hoisting ceremony at the Asian Games was delayed and then disrupted due to unspecified “trouble” on Friday, leaving multiple countries, including India, waiting for clarity from organisers who are facing criticism for logistical chaos. When asked by NDTV, India’s Chef de Mission, Sahdev Yadav, admitted he was completely unaware of the reason for the delay. India’s four deputy chefs de mission — A. Sharath Kamal, Lijo David Thottan, Alaknanda Ashok, and Anjali Bhagwat — were also present for the ceremony at Garden Pier, situated near the athletes’ container-style accommodation.
“I don’t know the reason either; I don’t know what’s going on,” said India’s Chef de Mission. “The chief guest hasn’t arrived yet, which seems to be the cause of the delay. Once the chief guest arrives, the ceremony will start. They aren’t giving any clarity on the issue, so I don’t know how long we’ll have to wait.”
The ceremony, which involved five teams — Yemen, North Korea, Palestine, India, and Timor-Leste—started after an initial 20-minute delay, only to be abruptly halted without a specific explanation from the organisers.
“We are sorry for the delay. There is some trouble with a team. We will try to resume in 15 minutes,” read a statement from the local organisers.
Sharath and Bhagwat had already begun walking towards the dais when local organisers announced the halt, forcing them to return to the waiting area.
Flag-hoisting ceremonies serve as the official welcome events for participating contingents at multi-sport competitions and are traditionally held the day before the Games’ official opening.
Friday’s disruption is the latest issue in a series of organisational failures at the mega-event, where athletes have already raised concerns over cramped lodging and delayed check-ins. To reduce costs, organisers opted not to build a traditional Athletes’ Village, choosing instead to house participants in container-style huts, hotels, and a docked cruise ship.
With PTI Inputs