Major Thai sports news outlets, including Thairath and Siam Sport, featured Bich Tuyen's withdrawal on their homepages. A post on Thairath's Facebook page, which has 19 million followers, garnered nearly 13,000 interactions in just three hours. Other major media channels such as Khaosod, Sanook, and Amarin TV also covered the news.

"Urgent! Vietnamese volleyball superstar Bich Tuyen withdraws from the national team and will not participate in the Women's World Championship in Thailand," Thairath's headline declared.

Thairath reports on Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen's withdrawal from the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship. Photo: Screenshot

Siam Sport questioned, "Did Bich Tuyen withdraw from the 2025 World Championship to avoid gender verification?".

The Vietnam Volleyball Federation (VFV) announced that Bich Tuyen requested to withdraw for family reasons. Head coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet expressed surprise at his player's decision, which came just one day before the team's departure for Thailand.

Thairath suggested the withdrawal coincided with rumors that Thailand would request the FIVB (International Volleyball Federation) to conduct gender verification tests on some Vietnamese players. Bich Tuyen was instrumental in Vietnam's first-ever victory over Thailand in the second leg of the 2025 SEA V-League.

"Tuyen's absence impacts Vietnam's competitiveness at the world championship," Thairath stated. "It also raises suspicions among Southeast Asian volleyball fans, suggesting the withdrawal may be related to off-court pressures."

Siam Sport commented, "Tuyen's disappearance has become a hot topic online, with many fans questioning whether this is related to pre-match gender verification tests. Bich Tuyen has long been the subject of speculation due to her physique and muscular build, which appear different from other female volleyball players."

Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen celebrates Vietnam's 3-2 victory over Thailand in the second leg of the 2025 SEA V-League at Ninh Binh Gymnasium on 10/8/2025. Photo: Hieu Luong

Volleyball ranks among the three most popular sports in Thailand, alongside soccer and Muay Thai. Bich Tuyen has gained a significant fan following but also faces considerable scrutiny from the Thai public, especially after her record-breaking 45-point performance against Thailand on 10/8.

Suspicions intensified after another Vietnamese player was banned by the FIVB from the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women's U21 World Championship in Indonesia for failing to meet eligibility requirements. Vietnam forfeited four matches, lost their spot in the round of 16, and finished 19th overall. The VFV has filed an appeal with the FIVB to clarify the issues and avoid further penalties.

Bich Tuyen, born in 2000 in Vinh Long, stands at 1.88 m tall. She played for her local volleyball club from 2016 to 2020, including a loan spell with Binh Dien Long An in 2019. She joined Ninh Binh Club in 2021. Bich Tuyen's presence has significantly boosted the Vietnam women's national volleyball team's performance in continental and global competitions over the past two years.

The 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship will take place from 22/8 to 7/9 in four cities across Thailand. Thirty-two teams are divided into eight groups for a round-robin stage, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the round of 16.

Vietnam is in Group G in Phuket and will face Poland on 23/8, Germany on 25/8, and Kenya on 27/8.

Trung Thu