Player Huynh Van Tien of Dong Thap. (Photo: zing.vn) Hanoi (VNA) – The world football governing body FIFA has banned 11 Vietnamese footballers for betting offences relating to the 2019 National U21 Football Championship’s qualifying round when they played for Dong Thap.
Huynh Van Tien was banned from participating in football activities worldwide from May 11, 2020 to May 11, 2025. Previously, Tien was banned from participating in football activities managed by the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) for five years and fined 5 million VND (217 USD).
The remaining 10 players have been banned from football activities organised by FIFA for six months globally, from May 11, 2020, to November 10, 2020. Previously, the 10 players were banned for six months by the VFF’s Discipline Committee and fined 2.5 million VND per person.
“We have received a FIFA notification. FIFA's decision is to increase the scope of discipline to the world after the VFF Discipline Committee only banned those players to compete in tournaments organised by the VFF,” said VFF Secretary General Le Hoai Anh.
Tien received the heaviest penalty for being the leader and enticing the other players. The remaining 10 players include Nguyen Nhat Truong, Nguyan Anh Phat, Vo Minh Trong, Le Nhut Huy, Giang So Ny, Tran Huu Nghia, Cao Tan Hoai, Duong Vu Linh, Kha Tan Tai and Tran Cong Minh.
Earlier, the violation was committed during Dong Thap’s match against Vinh Long on June 19, 2019, in the Group C qualification for the national U21 tournament.
The violation involved nine out of 11 first-team players and two reserve-team ones, who bet 150 million VND (6,448 USD) that the game would end with two goals or less.
As the game ended in a 1-1 draw, the Dong Thap players won back their bet money and an extra 133 million VND (5,718 USD), which they split among themselves./.
VNA
