Indian officials at the Asian Games are not happy and it has nothing to do with the performance of the athletes. The policy which is in place in Indonesia adheres to a 'no alcohol' rule and this has not gone down too well with the support staff.
There are also reports of people trying to smuggle alcohol into the Village, but then there has not been much success. This policy is not surprising either, as Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world and barring the tourist-heavy Bali province, liquor has been banned from all department stores since 2015.
'They are very strict about it'
"Only yesterday I saw whiskey bottles lying with the security guards at the Games Village. They are very strict about it. Though athletes don't care much about the lack of alcohol, it is very normal to find a beer in the international zone of any major multi-sporting event including the Commonwealth Games this year," a coach of the Indian contingent was quoted as saying by Press Trust of India.
Although there is booze available in restaurants and pubs, there are other reports which suggest that the Indian contingent is not entirely happy with the rooms provided in the Village.
"The rooms everywhere are basic but talking about this place, I don't think I have stayed in a Games Village which has smaller rooms than here. There is no place to even keep a suitcase. There is hardly space to take a shower in the bathroom," a member of the Indian shooting team said.
Speaking about stepping out of the Village, there are not many takers of this particular option as the pubs and restaurants are at some distance away and the prices are also quite exorbitant.
The rules are more stringent in the port city of Palembang which is co-hosting the event where it is difficult to locate even a mild beer.
