Asia's most prestigious comprehensive sports competition is leaving severe blemishes due to basic administrative incompetence and lack of preparation. From conflicting guidance on match venues and severely insufficient communication to haphazard schedule changes made at the last minute, the complacent attitude of the organizing committee—which should be supporting the smooth operation of the event—is directly threatening the precious opportunities and rights of athletes who have fairly shed blood, sweat, and tears.

The most representative disaster occurred in the eSports eFootball event. The Qatar national team arrived at the venue early in the morning for their preliminary match, but had to wait unknowingly in a waiting room misdirected by on-site staff. However, the organizing committee suddenly slapped them with a forfeit defeat on the absurd grounds that they did not appear at the assembly point on time.

Even though the room where the Qatari players stayed was right next to the actual assembly area, they were forced to unjustly swallow the bitter pill of elimination due to poor communication and complacent guidance by on-site personnel. While this resulted in a happening where the South Korean national team benefited from a bye, the aftermath added to the confusion as the overall on-site schedule was delayed by more than an hour and a half. It was as if years of hard work by the athletes went up in smoke due to a single guidance error by an on-site staff member.

The organizational committee's administrative flaws did not stop there. Unfathomable disruptions continued in track and field events as well. A situation arose where the originally scheduled high jump preliminaries were abruptly canceled right before the competition.

The organizing committee failed to provide official and swift announcements, forcing national teams and officials to constantly check the official website themselves to see if events were proceeding. In the end, an inefficient situation unfolded where the finals were held immediately without a preliminary stage, and a rare spectacle occurred where a foreign athlete who belatedly realized the schedule change had to personally apologize to fans and officials via their SNS.

To make matters worse, an even more absurd operational method came under fire in certain detailed events. In the race walking event, citing the superficial reason of a shortage of participating athletes, an unprecedented and unusual situation was staged where male and female athletes started simultaneously. This directly violates international competition standard operating regulations and fairness, ultimately undermining the sportsmanship and credibility of the competition itself.

A comprehensive sports competition goes beyond being a stage to determine medal colors through matches; it is a sacred arena where athletes who have endured years of extreme suffering and effort prove their limits. However, the series of incidents revealed in these Asian Games clearly show that the organizing committee, which should protect the athletes, has instead become an obstacle to the event's operation.

If repeated incompetent administration and amateurism are not cut off, the international authority and existential value of the Asian Games will inevitably suffer irreversible blows. Thorough truth-finding and countermeasures regarding overall tournament operations are urgently needed so that athletes' sweat is no longer sacrificed to administrative expediency and incompetence.

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