This is the ninth time the event has been organised and will attract more than 17,000 athletes, coaches, officials, referees, staff, volunteers and others.

The Games will see delegations from 63 cities and provinces, the military and public security teams.

Quang Ninh will be the main locality hosting 21 sports. Ten other cities and provinces including Hanoi, Hai Phong and Bac Ninh will take responsibility for the rest.

The opening ceremony will take place at the Sun Carnival Ha Long Square on December 9. The closing ceremony is on December 21 at the Dai Yen Sports Complex in Ha Long City.

"The Games which is organised quadrennially will review our sporting activities in the last four years, especially to evaluate our training and competing in elite sport," said Dr Dang Viet Ha, director of the Vietnam Sports Administration.

"Through the review, we will pick up the talented athletes for the national teams which will compete in the coming international tournaments including the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia and the 19th Asian Games in China in 2023 and the qualifications for the 2024 Paris Olympics.".

According to organisers, almost 10,000 athletes will compete in 43 sports at more than 900 events.

Hanoi, HCM City and the Military will send the largest number of participants. They are also the title favourite teams of the Games. Meanwhile Dien Bien, Bac Kan and Ninh Thuan has smallest competitors.

Football and futsal are the two sports with the most athletes while golf and gymnastics have the least.

Fifteen sports will be completed prior to the opening ceremony because of their international competition schedules.

Currently, rowing events have wrapped up with HCM City topping the podium, followed by Da Nang and Hai Duong.

Shooting will close today while football and karate are ongoing.

"In short, most of our preparation activities have been done. We took advantage of facilities, services and experience from the 31st SEA Games in May. We will apply all the best at the coming NSG," said Tran Duc Phan, head of the NSG's Technical Subcommittee

"We also train referees and staff again to improve and update their quality and knowledge."

About doping activities, the organisers said a Medical Subcommittee has been working hard to make sure of a fair and honest Games.

About 100 athletes will be selected to be randomly tested. The number is small compared with the total competitors but according to Nguyen Van Phu, director of the Vietnam National Center for Anti-Doping & Sports Medicine, it was double that in the 2018 Games. The shortage of expenses is the main reason for this low rate of tests.

The subcommittee officials and staff are available to popularise and support athletes and coaches on all issues concerning doping. They also carry out programmes to guide and help sports people understand clearly about this matter.

The organisers will cooperate with Health Bridge, an NGO focusing on making urban neighbourhoods more livable and conducive to healthy lifestyles, to promote sport without smoking movement.

At the eighth NSG in 2018, hosts Hanoi topped the medal tally with 176 golds, 149 silvers and 139 bronzes. HCM City were second (118, 101, 103) and the Military third (59, 61, 86). 

Source: Vietnam News