The Vietnam Volleyball Federation (VFV) has decided to ban Đặng Thị Hồng from competing in the second phase of the 2025 National Volleyball Championship and all official tournaments organized by VFV.
A decision made to uphold fairness and professionalism by the VFV
Born in 2006, Đặng Thị Hồng is considered one of the brightest young talents in Vietnamese women's volleyball. With abundant physical strength, powerful spikes, and excellent jumping ability, this 19-year-old star is capable of scoring impressively.
Đặng Thị Hồng’s talent has been displayed across various teams, from her main club Thái Nguyên to those she played for on loan such as LPBank Ninh Bình, Binh Chủng Thông Tin, and Vietinbank. At the national team level, she is also a top attacking star of the Vietnamese U21 women's volleyball team.
There would be no issue if the 2006-born player did not demonstrate her excellence in an unusual manner. Although only about 1.70 meters tall, Đặng Thị Hồng jumps exceptionally high and hits the ball much harder than other young female volleyball players in Vietnam.
The Vietnam Volleyball Federation (VFV) has decided to ban Đặng Thị Hồng from competing in the second phase of the 2025 National Volleyball Championship and official tournaments organized by VFV.
This unusual situation led opponents to file complaints during the recent U21 Women's Volleyball World Championship. The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) intervened, and the aftermath is well known.
FIVB did not explicitly name Đặng Thị Hồng as a rule-breaker and has yet to respond to VFV’s complaint. It is also possible that FIVB may never reply. However, their silence itself is an answer. Gender is a sensitive and delicate matter in sports in general and volleyball in particular.
FIVB made a decision to ensure fairness at the recent tournament, and handling the remaining related issues is now the responsibility of the Vietnam Volleyball Federation (VFV).
Since FIVB disqualified Đặng Thị Hồng from the U21 Women's World Championship for being "ineligible" to compete, can VFV still allow this player to participate in official tournaments they organize?
Obviously not. They cannot create their own "rules" that contradict FIVB's regulations because if they do, they will be punished and risk exclusion from international competitions. They would lose fan support and trust.
In recent years, gender issues in sports have become a heated and controversial topic worldwide. However, the prevailing trend now leans towards ensuring fairness for female athletes.
Therefore, many international competitions have introduced regulations to control testosterone levels in the blood. If the level exceeds the allowed threshold, the athlete becomes ineligible to compete in female categories.
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