A national anthem mix-up has sparked controversy at the 2026 Asian Para Games, prompting the organising committee to issue an apology. Ichiro Hirosawa, acting head of the event’s organising committee and Nagoya’s mayor, expressed regret after the wrong national anthems were played during multiple ceremonies and a sporting event.
According to the organisers, the errors occurred because of incorrect settings in the music playback software. The incidents took place on Monday, with the wrong anthems played on three occasions during the Games, which are being held across several locations in Japan’s Aichi Prefecture, including Nagoya.
Iran’s National Anthem Played During Medal Ceremonies
Two of the incidents occurred during the para-taekwondo medal ceremonies. Mongolia’s athletes won gold in the women’s event, while Taiwan’s athletes claimed the men’s gold medal. However, Iran’s national anthem was played during both ceremonies instead of the anthems of the respective gold medal-winning nations.
The organising committee said the error was caused by incorrect music playback settings. Following the mistake during the women’s ceremony, officials stopped the Iranian anthem and played Mongolia’s national anthem instead.
The men’s medal ceremony was subsequently held again on Wednesday to address the error.
South Korean Anthem Played Instead Of China’s
Another mix-up occurred during a women’s sitting volleyball match between China and Iran. On this occasion, South Korea’s national anthem was played instead of China’s.
Officials stopped the incorrect anthem midway through the playback before playing the Chinese national anthem.
The repeated mistakes have raised concerns over the organisation of the event, particularly the handling of national anthems during international sporting competitions.
Organisers Express Regret Over Repeated Errors
Speaking on Wednesday, Hirosawa apologised for the incidents and acknowledged that the mistakes had occurred again.
“We regret that such incidents have happened again,” he said.
The latest controversy has also drawn attention because a similar incident reportedly occurred during the Asian Games held the previous month. On September 18, North Korea’s national anthem was played instead of South Korea’s before a men’s hockey match between South Korea and Bangladesh.
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