Qatar says no bed crisis for Asian Games

DOHA, Nov 14 (Reuters) Qatar has added more beds for athletes taking part in next month's Asian Games, and does not expect an accommodation crisis despite complaints from some participating nations, organisers say.

More than 13,000 athletes and officials had planned to attend the Games, threatening to overwhelm the athletes' village that was built to house 10,000. Several countries were allocated fewer beds than requested, and some said they might have to bring air mattresses and rent blankets and pillows.

But Abdulla Al-Qahtani, director general of the Doha Asian Games Organising Committee, said that by squeezing more beds into rooms in the athletes' village and asking nations to reduce their delegations, the problem had been solved.

''When we won the bid, one of the clauses says clearly... that we must host a maximum of 10,000 beds. We planned accordingly and we built it,'' he said.

''OUTSTANDING FACILITIES'' ''But after hearing about our outstanding facilities, National Olympic Committees have been pushing for more and more people to come,'' he said, adding that the fact the Games in Qatar will include a record number of sports also increased the demand for beds.

''But we cannot build a new village overnight, so the organising committee told them to reduce their numbers,'' Qahtani said.

The number of beds per room had also been raised.

''We had put three beds per room and the three athletes would share one bathroom, this was the policy,'' Qahtani said.

''So they amended the policy and more players can share a room, and we added more beds and solved the situation.'' There were now 11,558 beds available for athletes and officials, he said.

The organisers also plan to use three cruise ships to accommodate spectators for the Games.

''Yesterday one arrived and I think two more are to come,'' Qahtani said. ''They should house about 2,500 people. There's big demand from spectators and hopefully this will add to the capacity in Doha.'' REUTERS SAM RK1530