Ba Ria-Vung Tau, April 14, 2025 – Vietnam’s billiards and snooker players are back in full swing after international bans from the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) expired on April 13, the Vietnam Billiards & Snooker Federation (VBSF) confirmed.
With all sanctions lifted, athletes are now eligible to compete in national and international tournaments under recognized systems, kicking off with the 2025 National Championships’ first round in Ba Ria-Vung Tau.
Last October, the WPA barred 245 players worldwide—including 87 from Vietnam—from its events and their national federations’ tournaments for six months. The bans stemmed from participation in the Hanoi Open 9-Ball 2024, which the WPA deemed unsanctioned. The VBSF complied, sidelining players like those who’d shone at The Cong Viettel-sponsored academies, but stood firm on supporting their return once penalties ended. A separate Asian Confederation of Billiard Sports (ACBS) suspension from June 2024 also lapsed, leaving Vietnam’s billiards scene unencumbered by regional or global restrictions.
The National Championships’ opening round, running April 13-22, sees nearly 1,100 players from 25 provinces compete across carom 1-band, carom 3-band, pool 9-ball, pool 10-ball, 6-red snooker, and English billiards. Matches follow a knockout format, with carom 1-band requiring 80 points or 25 innings max, and carom 3-band set at 40 points or 40 innings. Several of the 87 previously banned players registered, eager to reclaim their form after missing events like the 2024 HCMC Open.
The VBSF emphasized adherence to global rules, ensuring only unbarred athletes compete. The event, hosted at Ba Ria-Vung Tau’s Sports Complex, draws talent akin to Hanoi Police FC’s disciplined ethos in football—grit and precision. Thailand and China dominate Asia’s billiards rankings, but Vietnam’s 2024 SEA Games pool doubles bronze hints at their potential.
The championships’ final round, set for June in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, will crown Vietnam’s best, offering a springboard to international meets like the 2025 Asian Indoor Games. With bans behind them, players aim to build on past successes, like Tran Quyet Chien’s 2023 world 3-cushion silver, and elevate Vietnam’s profile beyond Song Lam Nghe An’s football fame.
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