The organizers have issued an official statement.

Báo Thanh niên•12/12/2023

This afternoon, December 12th, from Japan, Mr. Do Quang Ba, President of the Vietnam-Japan International Exchange Organization (FAVIJA) and Head of the Organizing Committee of the FAVIJA Champions Cup 2023, officially responded regarding the incident where player Tran Ngoc Dung, a former SLNA player, fainted on the field during the tournament.

Ngoc Dung while playing in an amateur football league in Japan.

Cựu cầu thủ SLNA ngất trên sân: Ban tổ chức lên tiếng chính thức - Ảnh 1. — Player Tran Ngoc Dung

Mr. Do Quang Ba stated that the first matches will take place simultaneously at 8:00 AM on December 10, 2023, on eight artificial turf pitches (the training grounds of Red Urawa Club) in Saitama City, Japan. Each match will last only 30 minutes, with each half being 15 minutes and a 5-minute break between matches.

"From 8:00 to 8:40, the first round of matches concluded. However, Dung was playing for FC Sun Shine, and this match, starting at 8:40, was FC Sun Shine's first game against FC Nghe Tinh Okayama. Five minutes into the first half, FC Sun Shine was trailing 1-0. During a situation where FC Nghe Tinh Okayama lost possession, as both teams were retreating for the goalkeepers to kick the ball upfield, player Tran Ngoc Dung turned his head towards his own goal and suddenly fell down, without any contact with anyone," Mr. Do Quang Ba, who was also present at the stadium and witnessed the entire incident, told a reporter from Thanh Nien Newspaper.

"At that moment, Tran Ngoc Dung received first aid from several other players on the team, such as putting a player's hand in his mouth to prevent him from biting his tongue, performing artificial respiration... Dung's face turned purple. However, the player was still breathing and his pulse was normal. Immediately, the organizers called an ambulance, and after about 10 minutes, the ambulance arrived and took Dung to the hospital. Sun Shine Company also sent someone to accompany Dung to the hospital and continuously updated the organizers. Currently, Dung is being cared for at Saitama Red Cross Hospital," confirmed Mr. Do Quang Ba, a person working for a medical- related company in Japan.

Cựu cầu thủ SLNA ngất trên sân: Ban tổ chức lên tiếng chính thức - Ảnh 2. — Former SLNA player Tran Ngoc Dung

According to Mr. Do Quang Ba, the match between FC Sun Shine and FC Nghe Tinh Okayama continued as normal. Throughout that day, apart from the incident involving the former SLNA player, no other significant incidents occurred in the final round.

According to information from the hospital and Sun Shine Company, Dung's fainting on the field may have been due to heatstroke, a temperature difference, and possibly fatigue from the previous day. Tran Ngoc Dung had also just arrived in Japan the day before and immediately went to play in the match.

"The weather in Japan is very cold. The sudden change in weather, the two-hour time difference, and the previous lack of proper eating and sleeping habits... could also be contributing factors. The doctor did not conclude that Dung had a stroke. Since being admitted to the hospital, Dung has been breathing normally, he is just weak and very tired, so he has to stay in the hospital for monitoring and recovery. According to the latest information, Dung only needs to stay in the hospital for another one or two days," Mr. Do Quang Ba told Thanh Nien Newspaper.

Tran Ngoc Dung, born in 2003, was the captain of the SLNA U.19 and U.21 teams that participated in the national U.19 and U.21 championships. He rose through the ranks of the SLNA youth academy and plays as a left-back.

Mr. Do Quang Ba wrote the invitation letter and vouched for player Tran Ngoc Dung, a former SLNA player, and two other young players from Vietnam to travel to Japan to participate in the 2023 finals of the tournament.

The FAVIJA Champions Cup 2023 was organized by the Vietnam-Japan International Exchange Organization (FAVIJA). The final round took place on December 10th, with the participation of 32 top-ranked teams from 7 regional football leagues across Japan – held from February to the end of November 2023. FC Sun Shine finished as runner-up.

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