Nagoya: The men's national basketball team was compelled to skip its vital shootaround session on Sunday, just hours before the Asian Games final, due to a transportation mishap. The scheduled shuttle bus failed to arrive, leaving the team stranded and unable to practice ahead of their crucial match.
According to Yonhap News Agency, national team officials reported that the team had arranged for a shootaround at a practice gym on Sunday morning. The shuttle bus, which was expected at the team hotel around 10 a.m., did not show up, and no explanation was provided for the absence. Despite this setback, the South Korean team remains focused on their upcoming challenge against host country Japan at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, with the gold medal contest set to begin at 7:40 p.m.
South Korea is striving to secure its first men's basketball gold medal since 2014. A national team official expressed confidence that the players would maintain their composure and focus as they prepare for the final showdown.
This incident occurred on the first day of medal competitions following the opening ceremony held the previous night. The preliminary rounds of men's basketball began on September 10. Leading up to the opening ceremony, the Asian Games organizers faced criticism over operational inefficiencies.
The South Korean men's football team previously encountered several transportation issues. Additionally, the organizing committee issued an apology to South Korea after mistakenly playing the North Korean anthem at a South Korean men's field hockey game last week. On Saturday, a women's handball match between South Korea and Hong Kong commenced without any anthem being played.
South Korea had earlier lodged a complaint regarding the organizers' decision to highlight Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a Japanese warlord known for his invasions of Korea from 1592 to 1598, during a ceremony welcoming a cruise ship intended to serve as a floating hotel for athletes.