A 44-year-old man died after sustaining a broken neck during a traditional wrestling match at the Thai Lai village festival in Kim Anh commune, Hanoi. The incident occurred on the afternoon of 26/2. During the match, his opponent grabbed his back, lifted him, and slammed his neck onto the mat. The man immediately lost consciousness and was rushed to the hospital but did not survive.
Do Xuan Huan, Secretary of the Kim Anh Commune Party Committee, confirmed that the deceased wrestler was a resident of Thai Lai village. "This is an unfortunate and deeply regrettable incident," he stated.
Mr. Huan also confirmed that the Thai Lai village festival is a local tradition aimed at celebrating spring. The Kim Anh Commune People's Committee annually approves its organization.
Traditional wrestling is a long-standing cultural feature at village festivals, particularly in Hanoi and northern Vietnam. These festivals often take place during Tet (Lunar New Year) to celebrate spring, featuring matches between young men from the village or nearby areas.
Hanoi hosts over 1,600 traditional festivals each year. Village wrestling rings are most common in western districts such as Hoai Duc, Quoc Oai, Dan Phuong, Thach That, and Son Tay.
Hieu Luong
