Vietnamese Muay Thai coach and fighters react fiercely, abandoning the competition due to unfair treatment.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - Coach Anh Linh became enraged, threw a water bottle forcefully, and decisively led his student off the mat, believing that the Vietnamese Muay Thai fighter was unfairly treated against his Philippine opponent in the semi-final match.

Hoang Khanh Mai faced the ultimate challenge in Islay Bomogao, the Filipino fighter currently ranked number one in IFMA and with experience competing in ONE Championship. Despite being considered a very tough opponent, Khanh Mai entered the fight with great effort.

The Vietnamese female fighter completely dominated the match, landing precise blows, and at times even launching powerful attacks that sent her opponent, Islay Bomogao (Philippines), to the canvas.

However, despite their dominant performance, the judges unexpectedly unanimously awarded the victory to the Philippine athlete after both halves, leading to a strong reaction from the Vietnamese team.

Despite dominating his opponent, the Vietnamese fighter was still declared the loser in the Muay Thai semi-finals (Photo: Philippines Star).

Witnessing his student being unfairly treated, Khánh Mai's head coach, Cổ Tấn Anh Linh, didn't hesitate to throw a water bottle onto the ring and shout loudly. He then signaled his student to abandon the match. Despite the referee's attempts to persuade Khánh Mai to return, she and her coach left the ring.

This action brought the women's 45kg semi-final to a surprising close. Philippine fighter Islay Erika Bomogao was declared the winner, automatically advancing to the final to face Noon Eiad Arissara of host country Thailand.

Muay Thai was expected to bring home a gold medal for the Vietnamese sports delegation this year. However, the unfair treatment of Hoang Khanh Mai, forcing her to withdraw midway through the semi-final match, has dashed a major hope for the Vietnamese team.

This year alone, the 19-year-old girl has affirmed her international class by winning the gold medal at the 2025 Asian Championships and excelling in the U23 45kg category at the World Championships.

Muay Thai at the 33rd SEA Games, held from December 13th to 19th, brought together top fighters from the region to compete in a total of 18 events. This was one of the most anticipated martial arts disciplines at this year's Games.

The Vietnamese Muay Thai team entered the 33rd SEA Games as a rising force, possessing an international record that commanded respect throughout the region. This success created high expectations, hoping to repeat the feat of winning four gold medals at the most recent Games.

With six athletes competing in the finals, the Vietnamese Muay Thai team is expected to win more gold medals with the following names: Nguyen Thi Chieu (women's 57kg), Pham Ngoc Man (men's 63.5kg), Bang Quang Thang (men's 71kg), Nguyen Thanh Tung (men's 75kg), Nguyen Thi Phuong Hau (women's 60kg), and Duong Duc Bao (men's 48kg). All six fighters will face host nation Thailand in the finals.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/hlv-va-vo-si-muay-viet-nam-phan-ung-du-doi-bo-thi-dau-vi-bi-xu-ep-20251217093838455.htm