The incident happened on Monday morning, 28 September, ahead of South Korea’s men’s volleyball group match against Chinese Taipei later that day. The team was taken to Okazaki instead of its intended training venue in Inuyama, approximately an hour away by road.
According to an official from the Korea Volleyball Association, the team lost too much time to return to the correct location and complete its planned training.
“We lodged a formal complaint to the organisers through the KSOC,” the official told AFP, referring to the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee.
Despite the disruption, South Korea went on to defeat Chinese Taipei 3–1 in their group match.
Organisers apologise for repeated transport errors
The latest incident adds to a growing list of logistical problems affecting athletes at the Asian Games, which are being held across Aichi-Nagoya and other Japanese locations.
South Korea’s men’s basketball team previously missed a scheduled training session before their final against Japan after their shuttle bus failed to arrive. The team eventually won the title.
South Korea’s men’s football team has also experienced transport problems, including a bus arriving late and another taking the players to a baseball ground instead of their intended rugby stadium.
Pakistan’s men’s volleyball team encountered a similar problem on Monday when its bus took the players to the wrong arena before their match against Uzbekistan. The fixture was delayed by 45 minutes.
Pakistan captain Murad Jehan criticised the situation in a video shared on Instagram.
Organisers admit to vehicle allocation error
A spokesperson for the Aichi-Nagoya organising committee said the South Korean and Pakistani volleyball teams had departed from the same accommodation and that an error had occurred when teams were matched with vehicles.
The spokesperson apologised for the inconvenience, saying the organising committee would strengthen checks to ensure that teams board the correct buses and that vehicle destinations are properly displayed.
The committee also acknowledged the seriousness of the disruption and pledged to take steps to prevent similar incidents.
The Asian Games, which began on 19 September, run until 4 October 2026. Transport and accommodation issues have become major concerns, with more than 17,000 athletes and officials attending the multi-sport event.
The latest bus mix-up has renewed scrutiny of the organisers’ arrangements as athletes continue competing across venues in Japan.