Incheon: South Korea’s Food and Drug Safety Ministry has found salmonella and other potentially dangerous bacteria in lunch boxes prepared for athletes and staff at the Asian Games, prompting organisers to dispose of the stock and change supplier.

A ministry official said that salmonella had been found in a meat dish on Sunday and that the lunch boxes destined for athletes in Incheon had been ditched.

“We check dish by dish,” said the official, adding that the lunch boxes were checked at the supplier and never made it to the Games. “There were 76 boxes and we’ve disposed of them all.

“The lunches were never delivered to the athletes. The check-up was done before delivery.”

Another form of bacteria, colon bacillus, had been found on Friday in lunch boxes earmarked for Asian Games staff, the official added.

Both bacteria can cause diarrhoea, fever, vomiting and other ailments. An Incheon organising committee (IAGOC) official said they were taking no chances when it came to athlete safety.

“For the Asian Games it’s a rule to scrap all the food once salmonella is found, even when it’s a tiny amount,” he said. “We threw them away and changed the supplier.”

Among those who had requested the packed meals were athletes competing in shooting, fencing, weightlifting and sepak takraw.

They were forced to wait several hours until a replacement snack of bread and milk was provided—though some chose to skip the meal entirely.

While the Games have gone off without any major problems, there have been some early glitches.

Some days ago, the badminton team, that spent the whole day at the venue, had to wait for more than 45 minutes to take the bus back to the Village as the driver went missing. The bus left the venue well beyond the designated hour.

The flame at the main stadium — one of the most iconic symbols of Olympic and Asian Games — went out for about 10 minutes on the first day of competition and had to be re-lit.

“It seems there were some technical problems,” one IAGOC official had said. A complicated mixture of water and liquefied gas is used to create a fountain-shaped flame and the official said this may have been the cause.

Several badminton players have also complained about the lighting at the stadium, while many others had to contend with no light at all when the power went out.

Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei, the world No. 1, said the lighting at the Gyeyang Gymnasium was too bright.

“Normally there are only lights side to side at either end, but here you have them all around so you are looking into the light. I think it’s tough for all the players,” he said.

Malaysia’s world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei slammed the court conditions, saying that the lights were too bright and causing problems for players.

Lee breezed through his first match against Nepal’s Ratna Jit Tamang in the men’s team quarter-final, at the start of his Asian Games swansong.

But he was unhappy after the match. “This was my first match and I just wanted to try out how I felt,” Lee said.

“I think this court is very bad for me because the light is not so good. Normally there are only lights side to side (at either end), but here you have them all around so you are looking into the light. I think it’s tough for all the players.”

Tamang also complained about the lighting after the match. “It’s very bright and difficult to see the shuttlecock,” he said.

Despite his gripe, the usually tight-lipped Lee seemed more relaxed than usual.

“I’m just going to do my best and enjoy my last Asian Games,” he said, hoping that a good performance in the team event would pave the way for a win in the individuals.

Meanwhile, the Indian contingent’s concerns over transportation from the Games Village to various sports venues and limited food options were addressed by the OCA, which gave a “dressing down” to the organising committee officials.

Chef de mission, Adille Sumariwalla, told reporters that there was meeting between the OCA and the organising committee to address the issues that he has been raising since Day One at the chef de missions’ daily meeting.

“I have been raising these issues on a daily basis and it has borne fruit finally as OCA representatives gave a dressing down to the organising committee after we were supported by a lot many other countries,” said Sumariwalla.

According to Sumariwalla the transportation is not up to the mark and the variety of food, specially catering to the Indian athletes, 50 per cent of whom are vegetarians, is inadequate. (Agencies)