'All are treated equally by us' - IOA draws line on special treatment for cricket players at Asian Games

IOA Holds Firm: No Special Accommodation for Cricketers at Asian Games

The IOA has drawn a clear line. With the Nagoya Asian Games 2026 looming, the board's made crystal clear that cricket won't get a free pass on accommodation. All 36 sports getting equal treatment, and the cricketers are being housed like everyone else—no five-star luxury.

Here's the situation. Men's team landing at the 3-star APA Hotel Nagoya Ekimae, women going to the 4-star Meitetsu Grand Hotel. Both below the standard our players usually enjoy, with twin-share rooms. The BCCI CEO Hemang Amin flagged concerns, naturally, but the IOA CEO Raghuram Iyer's response was firm: equal treatment for the entire contingent.

The BCCI is sending an advance team to Japan the week of Sept 8 to assess the hotels, the Korogi Sports Park venue, and facilities. They can then decide whether to use the organisers' setup or go independent. But heads up—if they opt out, the BCCI takes full responsibility for accommodation, food, transport, and getting players to venues on time. No exceptions to the Games security, accreditation, and access protocols. Anti-doping rules still apply; WADA and ITA need player locations for random testing regardless of where they stay.

Key dates:

- Women return from Asia Cup in Dubai Sept 13, fly to Nagoya Sept 14

- Women's AG campaign: QF Sept 18 through Sept 22

- Men (led by Shreyas Iyer) depart Sept 21, enter at QF Sept 28 to Oct 4

- Men also play a bilateral T20 vs Japan Sept 22 (Suzuki Cup) as prep

Aichi-Nagoya is under accommodation pressure—athlete and coach numbers jumping from 15,000 to ~17,000. Organisers have thrown in mobile units and the Costa Serena cruise ship to manage demand. So the uniform policy isn't just principle; it's practical reality across the board.

Bottom line: the IOA's not bending for cricket. The BCCI gets to assess and decide, but everyone plays by the same rules.

Source: Crictracker