A controversial incident involving a referee's error and a subsequent penalty against Vietnamese player Le Thanh Tien marred a carom 3-cushion World Cup match on the evening of 7/10 in Antwerp, Belgium. Le Thanh Tien faced Joseba Escribano (Spain) in the opening match of Group A, third qualifying round. According to the draw, Le Thanh Tien was assigned the yellow cue ball, while Escribano was to play with the white cue ball. Players were strictly prohibited from using any other cue ball throughout the match.

Le Thanh Tien at the carom 3-cushion World Cup in Veghel, Meierijstad district, North Brabant province, Netherlands on 21/10/2024. Photo: Kozoom

The sequence of errors began with the Belgian referee's incorrect placement of the cue balls at the start of the match. Following the customary lag shot to determine the break, which Escribano won, the referee was tasked with setting the three balls. Le Thanh Tien's yellow cue ball and the red object ball were meant to be aligned on the table's center line, parallel to the long rail, with Escribano's white cue ball placed next to the yellow. However, the referee incorrectly placed the yellow cue ball on the center line with the red ball, positioning the white cue ball beside it. This initial error by the referee went unnoticed by both players.

Spanish player Joseba Escribano was the first to play with the wrong cue ball during his opening break, an error that went unaddressed. He appeared to overlook his assigned white cue ball, possibly due to the referee's setup, and proceeded to hit the yellow ball on his break, scoring the first point. This marked the second mistake in the match, yet neither the players nor the referee intervened.

When it was Le Thanh Tien's turn, he also used the incorrect cue ball and was promptly penalized by the referee, highlighting an inconsistency in officiating. He played with the white cue ball, contrary to his assigned yellow ball from the initial draw. The Vietnamese player scored a point, but the referee disallowed it, citing the use of the incorrect cue ball. This was peculiar, as Escribano's earlier similar error went unaddressed by the referee.

The moment Le Thanh Tien was unfairly penalized.

Unable to communicate his protests due to a language barrier, Le Thanh Tien quietly returned to his seat. Escribano then approached the table, correctly played with the white cue ball, and raised no questions about the earlier errors by himself or the referee. The Spanish player ultimately won the match 35-34 after 31 innings.

Le Thanh Tien, born in 1992, is the 2024 national carom 3-cushion champion. Despite limited international appearances, he is ranked 74th globally and previously secured an Asian bronze medal in 2025.

His opponent, Joseba Escribano, 54, holds a world ranking of 216th.

The Antwerp World Cup, running from 6/10 to 12/10, marks the 5th stage of the 2025 season, following events in Bogota (Colombia), TP HCM, Ankara (Turkey), and Porto (Portugal). Belgium boasts a rich billiards tradition, particularly in carom 3-cushion, having won four world team gold medals.

Vietnam has a strong contingent at the event, with 5 representatives in the third qualifying round, including Le Thanh Tien. Four other players, Bao Phuong Vinh, Chiem Hong Thai, Nguyen Tran Thanh Tu, and Dao Van Ly, will compete starting from the fourth qualifying round. Tran Quyet Chien and Tran Thanh Luc are the two Vietnamese players who qualified directly for the main draw.

Xuan Binh