Following a meeting on September 11, VFV decided not to allow 19-year-old Dang Thi Hong to participate in the second phase of the 2025 National Volleyball Championship. She has also been suspended from all official domestic tournaments under the federation’s system until further notice.

The decision stems from FIVB regulations stating that athletes who do not meet eligibility criteria will be barred from participating in officially sanctioned competitions until a new ruling is issued.

At the recent U21 World Championship, Hong was removed from the squad, leading to Vietnam forfeiting four group-stage matches. As a result, coach Nguyen Trong Linh and the national U21 team lost their chance to advance to the round of 16.

Following Hong's suspension, another Vietnamese women’s volleyball player, Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen, has become the subject of growing public debate.

Born in 2000, Tuyen unexpectedly withdrew from the national team before the 2025 World Championship. This was not the first time the star attacker from Ninh Binh Club declined to participate in an international event.

Although the federation has not directly addressed Tuyen’s case, it confirmed that gender verification procedures would be enforced more strictly starting in early 2026.

For now, certain athletes suspected of gender-related eligibility issues are still allowed to compete in domestic events under the 2025 rules, which have already been implemented. However, from 2026, VFV will conduct thorough testing on any player under suspicion.

“This is a sensitive issue,” said a VFV representative. “However, we are allowing athletes to participate in the 2025 National Championship because its regulations were issued at the beginning of the year and do not require gender testing. From 2026 onward, any case of concern will be rigorously verified.”

The VFV added that gender-related eligibility assessments will follow the official guidelines of the FIVB, in coordination with relevant authorities, to ensure accuracy and fairness.

In reality, the federation and the Department of Physical Education and Sports plan to begin enhanced verification measures even before 2026 - starting as early as the upcoming SEA Games. This is aimed at avoiding future incidents like the one involving Dang Thi Hong at the recent U21 World Championship.

Dai Nam