Wrong national anthems played three times at Asian Para Games
The wrong national anthems were played on three occasions during the ongoing Asian Para Games on Monday, Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa, who is serving as acting head of the event’s organizing committee, said Wednesday, Qazinform News Agency learned from JIJI Press.
During the para taekwondo events, the Iranian national anthem was mistakenly played at medal ceremonies for Mongolia’s women’s gold medalist and China’s Taiwan men’s gold medalist.
According to the organizing committee, the errors were caused by an incorrect setting in the music playback software. The Games are being held mainly in Nagoya and other locations across Aichi Prefecture in central Japan.
Organizers stopped the Iranian anthem during the women’s medal ceremony and replaced it with Mongolia’s national anthem. The men’s medal ceremony was scheduled to be held again on Wednesday.
South Korea’s national anthem was played instead of China’s before a women’s sitting volleyball match between China and Iran. The music was stopped midway and replaced with the Chinese national anthem.
Earlier, it was reported that Kazakhstan's Dias Kenzhebek claimed a third medal at the Asian Para Games 2026.