Fairness and transparency

The regulations for the 2026 Vietnam National Volleyball Championship were issued late last year.

Many aspects are covered in the regulations, such as player transfers, hiring foreign players, and provisions for reinforcing the squad before the second phase of the tournament… However, the most noteworthy detail in the main regulations is conspicuously absent: gender testing – the most prominent issue in Vietnamese volleyball last year.

Bich Tuyen still leaves open the possibility of returning to the national arena. Photo: PHAM CUONG

Following prolonged controversy, both Dang Thi Hong and Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen are no longer competing at the highest level. Dang Thi Hong officially retired after the former main hitter for Thai Nguyen, who played for the Industrial and Commercial Bank team last season, was banned by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) from participating in the 2025 FIFA U-21 World Championship with the Vietnam U-21 team for not meeting the eligibility requirements. Following this incident, the Vietnam Volleyball Federation also officially announced that Dang Thi Hong is ineligible to participate in official national tournaments until further notice.

At LPBank Ninh Binh, opposite hitter Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen was also not registered to compete in the 2026 season and was assigned to other duties by the team's coaching staff. She unexpectedly withdrew from the national team before departing for the 2025 Women's World Championships for personal reasons, and subsequently missed the second phase of the 2025 National Championships due to injury.

The stories involving Dang Thi Hong and Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen have raised many questions in public opinion about the management methods of Vietnamese volleyball, especially regarding the competition criteria for female athletes and gender-related issues.

In recent times, gender issues have cast a shadow over all aspects of Vietnamese volleyball, highlighting the urgent need for regulations governing athletes within the national competition system and, more broadly, in international competitions.

Completing and publicizing regulations and rules is essential because it allows governing bodies to make clear decisions: prohibiting ineligible athletes from competing or creating a legal basis for athletes like Bich Tuyen to return to the arena legitimately.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/cong-bang-va-minh-bach-196260307203145145.htm