VFF vows to stamp out match-fixing

Vietnamese football officials have expressed their determination to put an end to the match-fixing that plagued its top-tier league, the V-League, this season.

Any players involved in match-fixing will be banned from all football activities for life, said Chairman Le Hung Dung of VFF, Vietnam’s football governing body, during an August 19 conference reviewing the 2013-2014 season.

He also praised some V-League club managers for their tough stance against their players’ misbehaviour and affirmed that the VFF will support football clubs in tackling this issue.

In the upcoming season, VFF plans to invite police officers from the Ministry of Public Security to join a committee that will oversee the football matches and players’ conduct, added Dung.

Officials stated that in order to make Vietnamese football healthier, match-fixing needs to be prevented from the club-level, this will require club managers to tighten supervision over their players.

Last month, several players of Dong Nai were arrested for allegedly fixing a match in the V-League and gambling.

Earlier in April, Ninh Binh club managers decided to withdraw their team from the V-League after they found out that some of their players were involved in match-rigging at the AFC Cup.

Futsal coach calls up new players

Spanish coach Bruno Jose Garcia Formoso has called up new faces for Viet Nam's national futsal (indoor football) team, which are training for the Southeast Asian Futsal Championship in HCM City.

Dinh Hung, Van Kha, Anh Tung, Thai Huy, and Thai Hoa have recently been added to the team, which have been a formidable force in Southeast Asia for the last five years.

The team, one of the best in the region's futsal competition, will train at District 8's indoor stadium until August 28, followed by a 10-day training period in Thailand before the final squad with shortlisted members heads for Malaysia for the contest.

The Southeast Asian Futsal Championship will take place from September 19-27 with the participation of 10 countries.

Viet Nam, which finished third last year, is in group B, along with Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines and Thailand. Group A consists of Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, the host Malaysia and Timor Leste.

Duan claims tour victory

HCM City's Le Van Duan claimed the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta Cycling Tour title yesterday.

Duan took the event's yellow jersey with the best overall time of 18:16.40 after eight stages, followed by Tran Van Quyen of Military Zone 7 and Domesco Pharmacy Dong Thap's Do Tuan Anh.

Duan also claimed the green jersey award as best sprinter with 169 points, while Ha Thanh Tam of An Giang Plant Protection won the white jersey as the best young cyclist.

In the team event, Dong Thap finished on top, followed by Gao Hat Ngoc Troi and An Giang.

Duc named V-League's best player

Becamex Binh Duong striker Nguyen Anh Duc was named the best player of the Eximbank V-League 1 2014 at an awards ceremony last night in HCM City.

The 29-year-old player scored eight goals and helped his team win its third V-League title to become the most successful club in the V-League era. Binh Duong coach Nguyen Thanh Son was named best coach.

Ha Noi T&T striker Hoang Vu Samson was the top scorer in the V-League 1 with 23 goals, while and Huynh Van Thanh was the most prolific in the V-League 2 with 10.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai midfielder Tran Minh Vuong was voted the best young player while the goal of the season belonged to defender Nguyen Xuan Thanh of Thanh Hoa.

Charity golf tournament calls for peace in East Sea

The 15th Swing for Life golf tournament raising money for coast guard, fisheries surveillance forces and fishermen will be organized in Ho Chi Minh City on August 29.

The annual charity golf tournament is co-organized by the HCMC Golf Association, Vietnam Golf & Country Club and Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam.

This year’s competition themed “All for peace in the East Sea” has attracted over 200 golfers and sponsors who have donated more than VND2.4 billion.

Started in 2000, the golf tournament aims to raise fund for buying wheelchairs for the poor disabled, emergency cars for blood donation purposes; supporting eyes operations and heart surgeries for disadvantaged children; building clinics in rural areas nationwide.