On July 29, 2024, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Disciplinary Committee issued Decision No. 509/QD-VFF, imposing disciplinary measures against Mr. Nguyen Van Nhat, the head coach of the U16 women’s team from Thai Nguyen, for attempting to manipulate the outcome of a match. This action was deemed to have damaged the reputation of the tournament and Vietnamese football as a whole.
According to the decision, Coach Nguyen Van Nhat was fined VND 5,000,000 and banned from participating in football activities managed and organized by the VFF for 12 months. The penalty was issued due to his attempt to alter the result of the match between the U16 Thai Nguyen team and the U16 Ho Chi Minh City team. This behavior was seen as detrimental to the integrity of the competition and the sport’s image in Vietnam.
Nguyen Van Nhat has the right to appeal the decision to the VFF Appeals Committee in accordance with the VFF Disciplinary Regulations (amended and supplemented in 2023).
The issue came to light on July 24, 2024, when the VFF Anti-Corruption Committee submitted a report to the VFF Disciplinary Committee. The report called for an investigation into allegations that Coach Nguyen Van Nhat had attempted to arrange a match-fixing scheme with the head coach of the U16 Ho Chi Minh City team during the National U16 Women’s Championship 2024. Specifically, it was reported that Nguyen Van Nhat suggested that the Ho Chi Minh City coach instruct his players to underperform, allowing the Thai Nguyen team to win the match with a score of 2-0 on July 21, 2024.
The head coach of the U16 Ho Chi Minh City team refused the proposal and subsequently reported the incident to the VFF. The match on July 21 ended in a 1-1 draw, despite the alleged pressure from Nguyen Van Nhat. Following the rejection of his proposal, Nguyen Van Nhat reportedly sent insulting and threatening messages to the Ho Chi Minh City coach.
Recognizing the serious nature of the allegations, the VFF’s relevant committees convened on July 23 and 24 to investigate the matter, with the involvement of the Criminal Police Department. During the investigation, Nguyen Van Nhat admitted to suggesting that the U16 Ho Chi Minh City coach have his team underperform, and he acknowledged sending the offensive and threatening messages afterward.
Duong Nghiep Khoi, the General Secretary of the VFF, stated that the Anti-Corruption Committee had transferred the full case file to the Disciplinary Committee for further action. He emphasized the VFF’s commitment to addressing and eliminating corruption in football, aiming to maintain a sustainable and clean football environment in Vietnam.
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