The Vietnam Volleyball Federation speaks out regarding the penalty imposed on athlete Đặng Thị Hồng.

The Vietnam Volleyball Federation confirms that athletes deemed ineligible by the FIVB will not be permitted to compete in national tournaments.

The Vietnam Volleyball Federation (VFV) has officially addressed the case of athlete Đặng Thị Hồng following the sanction from the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) at the 2025 U21 World Championship. According to VFV, any athlete found ineligible by the FIVB will be barred from participating in official competitions within Vietnam, including all domestic tournaments organized or managed by VFV.

Previously, the FIVB concluded that Đặng Thị Hồng was ineligible to compete in the U21 World Championship. She was immediately disqualified, and the Vietnamese U21 women's team was handed defeats in the four group matches in which she participated, resulting in the loss of their spot in the round of 16. Following this decision, VFV promptly agreed to exclude Đặng Thị Hồng from all domestic competitions until further notice.

In addition to the above, VFV also provided important information regarding gender verification for athletes. The testing will officially be implemented starting from the 2026 season. Since the regulations for 2025 have already been issued, there is no requirement for testing this year, meaning those questioned by the public can still compete normally.

VFV stated that gender verification will be conducted in accordance with the guidelines from FIVB and relevant authorities, using highly accurate methods such as SRY gene analysis from biological samples. This rule aims to minimize similar incidents and ensure transparency in competition.

For national team players, VFV affirmed that eligibility checks will comply with the SEA Games organizing committee’s regulations and directives from the Department of Physical Training and Sports. This measure is necessary to prevent unnecessary disputes and to protect the reputation and achievements of Vietnamese volleyball on the international stage.

There has been no further specific response from FIVB regarding Đặng Thị Hồng’s case yet, but with VFV’s decisive actions, athlete management protocols in Vietnam are expected to be tightened in the near future.