Why is there a difference in food allowances in the Vietnamese women's volleyball team?

(Dan Tri) - The Vietnamese women's volleyball team gathered on October 25 to prepare for the 33rd SEA Games with the goal of competing for a gold medal, but problems have arisen regarding the athletes' nutrition.

Preparing for the 33rd SEA Games, the Vietnamese women's volleyball team was established right after the 2025 national championship ended. Coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet and his team gathered in Quang Ninh and began training.

The team has 20 athletes including: Le Thanh Thuy, Nguyen Thi Trinh, Nguyen Phuong Quynh, Hoang Thi Kieu Trinh, Doan Thi Lam Oanh, Pham Quynh Huong, Nguyen Khanh Dang, Vo Thi Kim Thoa, Ha Kieu Vy, Vi Thi Nhu Quynh, Doan Thi Xuan, Hoang Hong Hanh, Luu Thi Hue, Vi Thi Yen Nhi, Nguyen Thi Uyen, Dang Thi Kim Thanh, Le Nhu Anh, Le Thi Yen, Bui Thi Anh Thao and Le Thuy Linh.

The team's coaching staff consists of four members, including the head coach and assistants. In addition, two key players are expected to join the Vietnam women's volleyball team late, Tran Thi Thanh Thuy and Tran Thi Bich Thuy, due to being busy competing abroad.

Vietnam women's volleyball team aims for SEA Games 33 gold medal (Photo: VFV).

The preparation of coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet and his team would not be worth mentioning if it were not for the recent news that nearly half of the summoned athletes did not receive the highest nutritional regimen according to regulations.

Specifically, 16 members (including 4 members of the coaching staff and 12 athletes) are entitled to a special nutritional regime of 480,000 VND/person/day. The other 8 members of the team are not entitled to the above nutritional regime, meaning they are still only entitled to 320,000 VND/person/day according to the regulations on nutritional regime for athletes during training.

Previously, in Circular 86/2020/TT-BTC issued by the Ministry of Finance on October 26, 2020, on detailed regulations on special nutritional regimes for coaches and high-performance athletes, it clearly stated: "Coaches and athletes summoned to national sports teams to prepare for participation in the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), Asian Games and Olympic Games are entitled to a nutritional regime of VND 480,000/person/day for a period of no more than 90 days".

The Vietnam Sports Administration officially raised the nutritional regime for coaches and athletes of national teams preparing for the 33rd SEA Games, starting from October 1. Accordingly, the new nutritional level is 480,000 VND/person/day (the old level is 320,000 VND/person/day), applied to all teams.

Representatives of the Vietnamese women’s volleyball team hope that all athletes will receive the highest level of care in order to prepare well for the SEA Games. In addition, if there is a difference in food expenses between athletes, it may also cause psychological problems and even loss of motivation.

Regarding the fact that even in the same team, some athletes receive the highest nutritional regime while others receive a normal one, a leader of Vietnam Sports said: "The list of SEA Games participants receiving the highest nutritional regime includes coaches and 14 athletes of the two men's and women's teams. However, currently, 2 female athletes are competing abroad, the women's team only has 4 coaches and 12 athletes receiving high regimes."

Thus, it can be understood that although the SEA Games is still more than a month away, it seems that the Vietnamese women's volleyball team has determined which athletes are on the official list, and thus will enjoy the highest nutritional regime.

This is a regulation that experts believe will cause the team to lose its competitiveness when it has an official list early, and athletes who do not enjoy the best treatment may suffer from psychological instability, thereby affecting the goal of competing for the first gold medal in the history of the SEA Games.

On the side of the Vietnam Volleyball Federation, General Secretary Le Tri Truong said that this is a regulation not only of the Vietnam Sports Department but also of the Ministry of Finance. The volleyball team has a coaching staff and 14 athletes who enjoy the highest level of benefits, however, because volleyball has the characteristics of needing many athletes to practice, train as well as prevent the possibility of injury, so the list will usually be longer, specifically 20 athletes in this training session.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/vi-sao-co-su-chenh-lech-che-do-tien-an-o-doi-tuyen-bong-chuyen-nu-viet-nam-20251027145730671.htm