Latest news with #PhilipFONG
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Floating village' to house thousands of Asian Games athletes
Performers representing Japan at the closing ceremony of the Hangzhou Asian Games (Philip FONG) Athletes at next year's Asian Games in Japan will stay on a "floating village" cruise ship and in converted shipping containers, an organising official told AFP, defending the cost-cutting move. The plan will see 4,600 athletes and officials housed on the ship for the duration of the Games, which are being held in Nagoya and the wider Aichi area from September 19 to October 4, 2026. Advertisement Organisers will lease a luxury cruise liner that will be docked at Nagoya's port. A further 2,400 people will stay in temporary shelters made from shipping containers a short bus ride away, with the two locations accommodating about half of the 15,000 athletes and officials expected at the Games. The rest will be in other accommodation, including in Tokyo where the swimming competition will take place. Local organisers were keen to avoid the cost of building a traditional athletes' village, but Asian Olympic chiefs warned that any alternative must make sure athletes can meet and mingle together. Advertisement Kazuhiro Yagi, vice-secretary general of the Aichi-Nagoya Games organising committee, told AFP that they had listened to athletes' opinions and wanted to "provide a service that satisfies them". "The cruise ship and container houses are in different locations, but they are only about 10 minutes apart by shuttle bus," he said. "I don't think it will be a problem at all with regards to being able to interact with other athletes. "There is an aquarium and various other entertainment facilities in the area. I think they'll be able to take a break, relax and come together." Advertisement The 2023 Games in China's Hangzhou had about 12,000 athletes, making it the biggest Asian Games in history, with more competitors than the Olympics. - Lack of recognition - The Asian Games are back in Japan for the first time since Hiroshima in 1994. The country has held several major sports events since then including the pandemic-delayed Olympics in 2021, football's World Cup in 2002 and the Rugby World Cup in 2019. Yagi admits that there "still isn't enough awareness" that the Aichi-Nagoya Games are happening, and says more needs to be done to spread the word. "I don't think there is anyone in Japan who hasn't heard of the Olympics or Paralympics, but my personal feeling is that maybe only half the population knows the Asian Games," he said. Advertisement "Young people weren't born when it was last held here 32 years ago, so I'd like them to find out that it's a great event." The Asian Games feature an eclectic mix of events, with bridge, kabaddi and dragon boat racing rubbing shoulders with traditional Olympic sports such as athletics, swimming, gymnastics and football. - eSports for elderly - The Aichi-Nagoya Games has added mixed martial arts to the programme and Yagi hopes its debut will showcase Asia's diverse martial arts traditions and attract new fans. "We want to appeal to the needs of young people, so including new events is essential," he said. Advertisement "We want to include mixed martial arts so that we can get the younger generation interested in sport." Esports proved a huge hit on its full Asian Games debut in Hangzhou, with fans packing into the futuristic 4,500-seat arena to watch star gamers like South Korea's Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok. Aichi-Nagoya will be the first time Japan has hosted an eSports competition on such a large scale, and Yagi thinks its benefits will be felt by more than just young people. "Esports can help elderly people who don't get a chance to exercise much," he said. "You use your fingers and make detailed movements, which I have heard is good for combating dementia. "I think this is a good chance for people of a wide range of ages to find out more about eSports." amk/pst/dh
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
USA hosts Pacific Nations Cup finals with eye to '27 Rugby World Cup
Fiji players, celebrating last year's Pacific Nations Cup title, will try and defend their crown in September, with the United States hosting the finals of the six-nation tournament (Philip FONG) The United States will host the knockout rounds of the 2025 Pacific Nations Cup tournament, organizers announced Wednesday, with three teams directly qualifying for the 2027 Australia Rugby World Cup. The tournament next August and September will feature Japan, Tonga, defending champion Fiji, Samoa, Canada and the United States with semi-finals in Denver on September 14 and the final six days later in Salt Lake City, Utah. Advertisement The USA, which is set to host the 2031 Rugby World Cup and 2033 Women's Rugby World Cup, will also host a USA-Japan pool play match at Sacramento on September 6. "With Rugby World Cups 2031 and 2033 inching closer, major event opportunities like the Pacific Nations Cup are key contributors in growing the American rugby fan base, engaging partners and raising the profile of our sport," USA Rugby chief executive officer Bill Goren said. "We have a lot to look forward to this fall as our men's Eagles target Rugby World Cup qualification in front of the home crowd." Teams are divided into Pool A, with Samoa, Tonga and Fiji, and Pool B with Canada, Japan and the USA with each nation assured one home match and at least three matches overall. Advertisement "By balancing high-performance standards with financial, environmental, and logistical considerations, the PNC offers a model that supports the long-term health of our sport," World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson said. Fiji and Japan have already qualified for the 2027 Australia Rugby World Cup. The three other best finishers in the Pacific Nations Cup will also qualify for Australia with the last-place team to join a South America-Pacific playoff for a chance to reach the World Cup in two years. js/nr
