Scandal involving the Vietnam Chess Federation

The scandal at the Vietnam Chess Federation is causing concern and outrage among fans of this intellectual sport.

Shortcomings in the Personnel Selection Process

As Thanh Nien newspaper reported, the selection process for the Vietnamese chess team participating in the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan in September was not carried out correctly. The issue erupted when two top Vietnamese female chess players, Pham Le Thao Nguyen and Luong Phuong Hanh, complained that the Vietnam Chess Federation announced registration for the Olympiad via a Zalo group created at the end of the week, with a deadline of only 22-26 hours for registration and response. Because they registered about 3 hours late, Nguyen and Hanh were removed from the list. Following strong media coverage, the Vietnam Department of Sports and Physical Education requested the Vietnam Chess Federation to review and re-select the team members. However, as of yesterday, May 24th, the selection process was still incomplete, and the two players still did not know whether they would be selected to participate in the Olympiad.

Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son announces his retirement from international standard chess competitions and points out shortcomings in Vietnamese chess.

PHOTO: VIETNAM CHESS FEDERATION

In related news, dissatisfied with the management of the Vietnam Chess Federation, on May 24th, Vietnam's number 2 male chess player, Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son, officially decided to withdraw from standard chess tournaments representing the national team. The player, who has dedicated over 30 years to Vietnamese chess, shared: "Regarding this year's Olympiad lineup, the fact that the men's team has almost completely changed compared to previous years reflects long-standing shortcomings in management and development direction. Except for my prior notification to the coaching staff after the 2025 SEA Games, the absence of key players like Quang Liem and Le Tuan Minh has significantly impacted the quality of the men's team. Throughout my many years of international competition, I have never seen a national team replace almost the entire starting lineup right before a major tournament like the Olympiad. Rejuvenating the team is necessary, but from a professional perspective, I find the current implementation inappropriate."

F IDE HOT WARNING

On May 22nd, the World Chess Federation (FIDE) sent a letter to the Vietnam Chess Federation and its President, Pham Van Tien, requesting cooperation in verifying issues related to two training courses for chess teachers and coaches organized in Hai Phong (March 7-9, 2026) and Ho Chi Minh City (April 25-27, 2026). The person specifically named by FIDE is Mr. Nguyen Minh Thang, Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Chess Federation.

FIDE is particularly concerned by reports that many fees paid by students, including those presented as official fees to FIDE or FIDE certification fees, may not be transferred to the official accounts of the Vietnam Chess Federation or FIDE.

The FIDE document states that, according to initial records, several sums of money were transferred to a personal account under the name of Mr. Nguyen Minh Thang. In addition to the published tuition fee of 3.5 million VND per person, students were also required to pay extra to qualify for the FIDE certificate. If true, FIDE considers this a serious issue because the additional fees were not clearly disclosed from the outset and are directly related to the international certification system.

During the verification period, FIDE temporarily suspended the review of certification applications for students of the two courses. FIDE requested Mr. Nguyen Minh Thang to provide a written explanation regarding his authority to organize the courses, the fee collection mechanism, the bank account for receiving payments, the status of fee transfers to FIDE, and the reasons why students have not yet received their certificates.

The Director of the Vietnam Department of Sports and Physical Education, Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet, requested the Vietnam Chess Federation to provide a detailed report to coordinate efforts in clarifying the matter. The Vietnam Chess Federation sent an explanation to FIDE stating: "After each course, FIDE will send an invoice so that the Vietnam Chess Federation can fulfill its financial obligations as required. Currently, the tuition for the course in Hai Phong has been transferred to FIDE's account, while the course in Ho Chi Minh City is awaiting an invoice from FIDE to complete the transfer process."

The Vietnam Chess Federation is committed to continuing full cooperation with FIDE in the verification process, ensuring the legitimate rights of the organization as well as the students participating in the course, and handling the case in a transparent, responsible, and constructive manner. However, FIDE's urgent warning has also affected the reputation and image of Vietnamese chess.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/be-boi-lien-doan-co-viet-nam-185260524183114289.htm