A decision by organizers of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games not to hand out physical medals to athletes who competed only in team-event heats has drawn criticism. Certificates will also be provided as digital files rather than on paper at the venue.
According to Yonhap News Agency on the 26th, the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games organizing committee decided not to award separate physical medals to swimmers who raced in the heats of relay events, including the freestyle and medley relays, but did not swim in the finals.
The case arose with South Korea's swimming team in the men's 400-meter and 800-meter freestyle relays. South Korea won silver in the 400-meter relay and bronze in the 800-meter relay, but Kim Min-seop of the Gyeongbuk Sports Council, who swam in the heats of both events but not in the finals, did not receive a medal.
Kim disclosed the situation after winning bronze in the men's 200-meter butterfly final at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Japan on the 25th. He had raced as part of the national team in the heats of the men's 400-meter and 800-meter freestyle relays but was denied team-event medals because he did not compete in the finals.
After the race, Kim said he was disappointed to learn that the Games would not award medals to swimmers who raced only in the heats, even though the national team had won medals in two team events. He added that he was relieved to have won an individual medal so he could place a physical medal around his parents' necks.
A venue notice confirmed through the Korea Swimming Federation spelled out how medals would be awarded. It said medals would be presented only at medal ceremonies held after the finals, and that no medals would be awarded for heats.
Certificates are not being handed out in physical form at the venue either. According to the notice, certificates will be provided as digital files and delivered to each team's representative after the Games. The notice also said no additional physical medals or certificates would be distributed at venues.
Under the approach, the names of athletes who contributed to the medals remain in the official records, but no separate physical medal is given to those who swam only in the heats. Certificates likewise are provided as files rather than handed directly to athletes on paper.
An official at the Korea Swimming Federation said the practice differs from that of previous international competitions. Physical medals have been given to athletes who competed in team-event heats at the Olympics, world championships and past Asian Games, as well as at South Korea's National Sports Festival, the official said.
Athletes also voiced frustration. An Se-hyeon of Jeju City Hall, a member of the national swimming team, said she had never seen such a case despite competing in many international events, adding that it felt unfair to athletes that only those who swam in the finals received medals when heat swimmers and finalists had all worked toward the same goal.
The Games have emphasized low cost and environmental friendliness as a guiding principle since the early stages of the bid. Organizers have prepared the event by making maximum use of existing venues and cutting operating costs. The approach to medals and certificates is seen as being in line with that stance.
The operating plan initially released by the Aichi-Nagoya organizing committee, however, specified that medals and certificates of merit would be produced. That has fueled continued disappointment over the decision not to provide athletes with separate physical medals and certificates.
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games opened on the 19th and run through Oct. 4, centered on Japan's Aichi Prefecture and the city of Nagoya. Beyond the medal issue, the Games have been dogged by complaints over accommodation and transportation. Problems have included cramped container-style lodging, confusion over room assignments, and shuttle bus delays and misrouting. South Korea's basketball team canceled a scheduled training session after a shuttle bus failed to arrive on time.
