The 2024 Paris Olympics marked the second consecutive Games where Vietnam failed to secure a single medal, a concerning milestone that warrants serious reflection. It’s time for sports officials to confront the issues at hand and take immediate action before the nation loses the trust and enthusiasm of its sports fans.
In terms of resources, Vietnam cannot afford to overlook the SEA Games, a platform where many young athletes are given opportunities to showcase their talents. The SEA Games results provide the sports sector with preliminary evaluations of athletes’ capabilities, especially in events that also feature in the Asian Games (Asiad) and the Olympics. This serves as a basis for selecting and strategically investing in athletes to enhance their future performance.
However, the question remains: why can other Southeast Asian countries, which also prioritize the SEA Games, achieve success at the Olympics while Vietnam struggles? It’s a point worth reexamining. Vietnamese sports fans might be more understanding of the nation’s Olympic failures if neighboring Southeast Asian countries were not achieving significant success. For instance, as of August 8, when Vietnam returned home empty-handed, the Philippines had secured two golds and two bronzes, Indonesia had two golds and one bronze, Thailand had one gold, three silvers, and two bronzes, and Malaysia had two bronzes. These comparisons naturally lead to questions about Vietnam’s standing in the region.
Looking at our regional neighbors such as Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines, it is evident that despite competing fiercely for top positions on the SEA Games medal table, they have not neglected investing in their strengths for the Olympics. These countries focus on “real investment, real achievements,” aiming to compete on equal footing with global sporting powers. They confidently set medal targets at the Olympics, including aiming for gold.
“In the context of Vietnamese sports, we have athletes who are at a high level within Southeast Asia. However, elevating these athletes to the Asian and global levels requires significant time and, more importantly, strong investment in science, technology, and coaching. Yet, our investment in key areas and the application of science and technology in sports training remain limited,” remarked Dang Ha Viet, Director of the General Department of Sports and Physical Training.
Take, for example, the shooting discipline, where athletes have been practicing without sufficient ammunition for years, a problem that persists across different regions. At the local level, they often have to “beg” for competition ammunition, and it’s not uncommon for the national team to receive their training supplies just before departure. For shooting to develop and become capable of competing for Olympic medals, it requires significant financial investment.
Without results, sports administrators and officials face significant challenges and pressure from fans. This is why the sports sector urgently needs to develop a plan to prioritize key sports in preparation for the upcoming Asiad and Olympic Games, with a development strategy extending to 2030 and a vision towards 2045.
At the end of 2023, a conference titled “Enhancing Asiad – Aspiring for Olympic Success” was held to identify solutions for Vietnam to gradually achieve better results at these two major events. Additionally, the Politburo issued Conclusion No. 70-KL/TW on January 31, 2024, regarding the development of sports and physical training in the new era, which is expected to have a significant impact on Vietnamese sports. The question now is, when will the policies and strategies outlined on paper be translated into concrete action?
Leave a Reply