More than a month after the 2025 U21 World Championship, where Dang Thi Hong was suspended, the Vietnam Volleyball Federation (VFV) is still actively working to clarify the details surrounding the ruling.

According to VFV General Secretary Le Tri Truong, the U21 tournament organizers requested original documentation, including birth certificates, for three Vietnamese players due to a complaint lodged by another team.

While the submitted documents matched the registered information, discrepancies emerged regarding the timing of the birth certificate issuance: one athlete’s certificate was filed a year after birth, another’s two years after. Following VFV’s explanation, the organizers conducted an SRY genetic test to identify the presence of a Y chromosome, aiming to verify the athletes’ biological sex.

According to Truong, FIVB did not directly communicate the test results with VFV. Instead, the federation informed the Vietnamese athletes in person while in Indonesia. The only official message sent to Vietnam stated that Dang Thi Hong was ineligible to compete due to inconsistencies with her birth certificate.

To date, VFV has sent three official letters to FIVB and the 2025 U21 World Championship organizers but has not received any formal response, creating significant challenges for the appeals process.

To avoid future incidents, VFV has decided to strengthen gender verification protocols at domestic tournaments starting in 2026. Additionally, national team athletes may be subject to gender testing prior to the SEA Games. Even during a tournament, if organizers detect suspicious cases or receive formal complaints, gender verification may be carried out, and all participants must accept the regulations.

As for Dang Thi Hong, the 19-year-old attacker is now barred from participating in any competition under VFV’s jurisdiction. This ban could lead her to retire from the sport at a young age. She is reportedly planning to enroll in university and run an online business to support herself financially.

Dai Nam