"This is the first time we have encountered this situation, so the federation, the coaching staff, and the players are all extremely surprised. However, to say we violated the rules is incorrect," VFV Secretary General Le Tri Truong told VnExpress on the afternoon of 13/8. "I affirm that the athlete and the federation submitted all required documents, without any fraud or falsification of personal records."

Truong's statement came almost a day after the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) accused Vietnam of having an ineligible player and forfeited four of their matches at the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women's U21 World Championship. The announcement did not specify the violation, but Thai and Indonesian media claimed it was related to gender.

The Vietnam coaching staff and players at the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women's U21 World Championship. Photo: Volleyball World

The Vietnam coaching staff and players at the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women's U21 World Championship. Photo: Volleyball World

This year's regulations stipulate that player eligibility is verified by birth certificates. This process must be completed before the tournament and confirmed again at the technical meeting one day before the opening match. On the evening of 11/8, one day before the last group stage match, the Vietnam coaching staff reported to the VFV that the organizing committee requested verification of three players' personal documents, including original birth certificates, along with blood and urine samples.

Through the players' families and clubs, the VFV translated and sent the documents to the FIVB. All personal information, including full names, dates of birth, hometowns, genders, and parents' information, matched. However, one player's birth certificate was issued a year after their birth date, and another's two years later. This led to the two players being absent from the match against Puerto Rico on 12/8.

"We explained that the delays were because the athletes are from rural areas, and this often happened in Vietnam at that time," Truong said. "The FIVB accepted this explanation. But on the night of 12/8, they still concluded that one athlete was ineligible and issued the penalty."

The VFV secretary general acknowledged the organizing committee's right to verify player information if other teams raise concerns, but suggested the FIVB should advise member federations to prepare and provide guidance if there are new regulations beyond the official rules. "If so, the VFV would have more opportunities to discuss with clubs and athletes to review and ensure compliance," he added.

When asked about the athlete's gender, Truong said the FIVB, like many other international federations, only recommends checks due to the private nature of this information. "They don't require testing, relying only on birth certificates as the legal basis. But they can conduct tests if there are complaints from other teams," the VFV secretary general said. "However, what levels are considered exceeding the standard or violating regulations are not clearly defined."

Vietnam (in red) defeated Egypt 3-1 in the 17th-24th classification round at the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women's U21 World Championship in Surabaya, Indonesia, on 13/8/2025. Photo: Volleyball World

Vietnam (in red) defeated Egypt 3-1 in the 17th-24th classification round at the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women's U21 World Championship in Surabaya, Indonesia, on 13/8/2025. Photo: Volleyball World

The VFV representative expressed regret that the incident occurred after the group stage, as Vietnam was preparing for the round of 16. "If they had checked before the competition, even without knowing whether the athlete was eligible or not, we could have prepared alternative playing strategies," Truong shared. "Now, the cancellation of the group stage results is a great disadvantage for the young players."

Today, the VFV sought advice from authorities and lawyers to submit an official complaint to the FIVB. They also requested further clarification on the violated clauses to protect the athlete's rights and the reputation of Vietnamese volleyball.

In addition, the VFV has also communicated with coach Nguyen Trong Linh and the team to ensure they understand the situation and remain focused. "Regardless of which group we compete in, we must play our best for our country. I hope the players maintain their composure on the court. We will handle the rest," Truong stated.

This afternoon, Vietnam defeated Egypt 3-1 in the 17th-24th classification round and will face Chile or Mexico on 15/8. If they win, Vietnam will compete for 17th place against the winner of the Canada-Dominican Republic match.

Hieu Luong