Wrong national anthems played three times at Asian Para Games

Nagoya – The wrong national anthems were played three times during the ongoing Asian Para Games on Monday, Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa, acting head of the sporting festival’s organizing committee, said Wednesday.

In para taekwondo, athletes from Mongolia and Taiwan won gold medals in women’s and men’s events, respectively, but the Iranian national anthem was played during the medal ceremonies for both events.

The mistake resulted from an incorrect music playback software setting, according to the organizing committee for the Games, held in locations in Aichi Prefecture, including Nagoya.

Organizers stopped playing the Iranian anthem during the women’s medal ceremony, and the Mongolian national anthem was played. The men’s medal ceremony was redone Wednesday.

In sitting volleyball, the South Korean national anthem was played instead of the Chinese anthem ahead of a women’s match between China and Iran. It was stopped midway and replaced with the Chinese anthem.

A similar incident occurred last month during the Asian Games. The North Korean national anthem was played mistakenly for the South Korean anthem before a South Korea-Bangladesh hockey match for men was held on Sept. 18.

“We are sorry that such issues happened again,” Hirosawa said Wednesday.