Japan’s 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games has come under scrutiny after the wrong national anthems were played during three separate incidents on the same day, prompting an apology from the event’s organizing leadership and renewed questions about how competition ceremonies are managed.
The incidents occurred on October 19, involving medal ceremonies for para taekwondo athletes from Chinese Taipei and Mongolia, as well as a women’s sitting volleyball match between China and Iran. The mistakes were publicly acknowledged on October 21 by Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa, who serves as acting head of the organizing committee.
The controversy is particularly damaging because the organizers had already faced criticism over a similar anthem error during the preceding Asian Games. Now, with the same kind of mistake happening again at the Para Games, attention is turning to whether the corrective measures introduced after the earlier incident were sufficient.
What happened? Three errors, one day
1. Iran’s anthem played for Chinese Taipei’s gold medalist
During the men’s para taekwondo medal ceremony, Iran’s national anthem was played instead of the appropriate anthem for the winning athlete from Chinese Taipei. Organizers later arranged to repeat the medal ceremony to correct the error.
2. Mongolia’s medal ceremony also affected
Iran’s anthem was also played during the women’s para taekwondo medal ceremony for Mongolia’s gold medalist. Officials stopped the incorrect recording and played Mongolia’s anthem instead.
3. South Korea’s anthem played before China-Iran match
Before a women’s sitting volleyball match between China and Iran, South Korea’s anthem played for approximately five seconds before officials stopped it and switched to China’s anthem.
Organizers blame software settings as questions mount
The organizing committee attributed the mistakes to an incorrect setting in the music playback software. However, Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa said the recurrence was unacceptable and apologized to the athletes and officials affected.
According to Taipei Times, Hirosawa also said organizers needed to investigate whether double-checking procedures had been followed or whether the mistakes occurred despite those safeguards.
The explanation points to a technical problem, but it also raises an operational question: why did the safeguards fail to prevent multiple errors during an international sporting event?
Not the first anthem controversy in Aichi-Nagoya
The latest incidents follow another anthem mix-up at the 2026 Asian Games, which concluded on October 4. During a men’s hockey match between South Korea and Bangladesh, North Korea’s national anthem was mistakenly played instead of South Korea’s.
That earlier incident prompted an apology from organizers. The recurrence at the Asian Para Games has therefore renewed scrutiny of the event’s preparation and ceremonial procedures.
The issue goes beyond a simple audio mistake. National anthems are closely tied to athletes’ achievements and national representation, making accurate presentation an important part of international competition ceremonies.
What happens next?
Organizers have acknowledged the errors, and the medal ceremony for the affected Chinese Taipei para taekwondo athlete was scheduled to be repeated. The committee’s review of verification procedures will be important in determining how similar incidents can be prevented during the remainder of the Games.
For the athletes involved, the focus should remain on their sporting achievements. For organizers, the challenge is to restore confidence that medal ceremonies and match protocols will be handled correctly.
