The 20th Asian Games officially opened in Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday with a ceremony launching 16 days of competition involving athletes from 45 countries and regions across Asia.
Reuters reported that Emperor Naruhito formally declared the Games open. The Associated Press said at least 11,000 athletes are entered across 43 sports, although some competitions had already begun before the ceremony because of the crowded schedule.
Organizers faced complaints before the opening over accommodation, transport and registration. Japan chose not to build a permanent athletes’ village, with participants instead housed across hotels, temporary units and a cruise ship.
The programme includes esports and several new or regionally popular disciplines alongside established Olympic sports. The first medal events are expected on Sunday.
Fresh Afghan reporting on September 20 adds detail about the country’s delegation. State-run Bakhtar News Agency, citing the National Olympic Committee, says 34 Afghan athletes are competing in nine sporting disciplines and that a 15-member Afghan Abdalians cricket team is also taking part. Ariana News independently confirms the figure of 34 athletes but says they are competing across eight disciplines. The two sources therefore differ on the number of disciplines.
Ariana identified Mohammad Jafar Soltani, Shahzada Safi, Mohammad Khalid Hotak and Hamid Ashrafi among the Afghan competitors due to begin their wushu campaigns. Bakhtar also reported that Afghan athletes would compete in wushu. The Games run until October 4 and include delegations from 45 Asian countries and regions.
Afghanistan won five medals at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, according to Bakhtar: one silver and four bronze across taekwondo, kurash, wushu and cricket. A final roster or discipline breakdown issued directly by Afghanistan’s National Olympic Committee would help resolve the current eight-versus-nine discipline discrepancy.