Women's volleyball faces challenges.

For several days now, the incident involving the Vietnamese U21 women's team being penalized by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) for having their group stage results from the U21 World Cup annulled due to the use of ineligible players has caused further concern and anxiety among fans.

Controversy over identity

Almost no one feels comfortable connecting the case of star player Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen - who has repeatedly caused controversy in the region regarding her identity - with the host country Thailand's proposal to conduct a gender check (for Bich Tuyen) at this year's World Championships.

The concerns were well-founded because just one day before the Vietnamese team departed for Thailand to participate in the tournament, on the morning of August 19th, Bich Tuyen herself proposed withdrawing from the trip due to family reasons. Respecting the player's decision, the coaching staff submitted the matter to the Vietnam Volleyball Federation (VFV) and it was quickly approved.

Women's volleyball faces challenges - Photo 1.

The women's volleyball team faces a challenging personnel issue as they participate in the world championships for the first time. Photo: SAVA

With limited time and perhaps realizing there weren't many suitable players left, the coaching staff, led by head coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet, decided not to add anyone. He also took all 13 remaining players to the world championships, despite predictions of facing many difficulties.

Making their debut at the World Volleyball Championship, held from August 22nd to September 7th in Thailand, the Vietnamese women's team is in Group G with formidable opponents including Poland (ranked 3rd in the world), Germany (ranked 11th), and Kenya (ranked 23rd). Kenya previously defeated Vietnam in a friendly match two years ago in France, so it's clear that Coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet's team has little hope of progressing far in this tournament.

Find someone to share the burden with.

With their strength no match for their rivals, and the loss of key striker Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen this time, the Vietnamese team will struggle to secure a victory. Over the past two years, the Vietnamese women's team's impressive run of form has been greatly influenced by the player born in 2000 from Vinh Long . Thanh Thuy has shown signs of decline due to injury, while other promising players like Kieu Trinh, Nhu Quynh, Nguyen Thi Phuong, and Tu Linh lack the necessary strength and tactical awareness to replace her.

Although the Vietnamese team decided early on not to prioritize results in their first appearance at the world championships, they should still avoid heavy defeats that could significantly impact their overall preparation for winning gold at the SEA Games 33 later this year. To achieve this, the coaching staff needs to find players to share the responsibility of scoring points with captain Thanh Thúy, Kiều Trinh, and Như Quỳnh.

With little hope for the U21 team, and certainly not overlooking players from domestic clubs, the women's national team coaching staff will have to make do with what they have, carefully selecting the squad while also hoping for the efforts of each remaining player with the belief that they "must fulfill the task in place of Bich Tuyen."

By competing with dedication and giving their best effort, the team is expected to live up to the expectations of the fans who have consistently followed and supported their journey throughout the competition.

Women's volleyball faces challenges - Photo 2.