What does the billiards federation say?

The World Championship Ladies Carom Billiards 3-Cushion Billiards (World Championship Ladies) held in France just ended on September 12. At this tournament, Vietnam's 3-Cushion Billiards had 2 representatives participating, Nguyen Hoang Yen Nhi and Phung Kien Tuong. Of which, Yen Nhi excellently entered the semi-finals and won the bronze medal of the world championship. This achievement has set a new milestone in the history of Vietnamese sports billiards, when Yen Nhi is the first player to win a medal at the women's world championship.

The title at the world championship in France helped Yen Nhi affirm her position as the number 1 female 3-cushion carom billiards player in Vietnam. Previously, the Da Nang player won the silver medal in 3-cushion carom at the 32nd SEA Games, the national gold medal in women's 3-cushion carom in 2023 and 2024, and the gold medal at the 2024 VBSF Cup.

The amount of money spent on travel is too much for athletes.

Nguyen Hoang Yen Nhi expressed her feelings when she did not receive any support from VBSF to cover her travel expenses in France. Yen Nhi said that she and her teammate Phung Kien Tuong spent about 55 million VND/person to go to France to compete in the 2024 Women's World Championship (including round-trip airfare, meals for 6 days, and transportation to the competition venue).

Nguyen Hoang Yen Nhi is the first player in the history of Vietnamese 3-cushion carom billiards to win a medal at the women's world championship.

“In March 2024, when VBSF announced that it would collect money to become a VBSF member, with an amount of 500,000 VND/player/year, and 200,000 VND (this amount is only paid once) to make a membership card. VBSF collected money from athletes and did not pay even a small amount for us to participate in the tournament, even though we competed as athletes representing Vietnam. So where did the money that VBSF collected from us and other athletes go if it did not support national representative athletes? Meanwhile, competing with that amount of money is a lot compared to an athlete with a team salary of 11.5 million VND/month like us,” Yen Nhi wondered.

The female player from Da Nang added: “In August 2024, I received information that Phung Kien Tuong and I (player of the Billiard & Snooker team of Vung Tau City) would be invited to participate in the World Championship Ladies tournament in France from September 10 to 12, 2024. This is the most prestigious tournament in our billiards career. But with the information that: the cost of participating in the world championship will be paid by the host units (Da Nang and Vung Tau). However, this information was given right before the tournament started, and was not given at the beginning of the year, so our city did not make a plan at the beginning of the year regarding the amount to be paid. This means that we will not receive support from the host unit. This also means that Phung Kien Tuong and I will have to pay 100% of the entire tour in France (about 55 million VND). I feel that it is really unfair to the athletes who are competing and contributing to the country without receiving any support from VBSF. So the question is, what is the purpose of establishing VBSF, while before VBSF did not collect money from athletes, my management unit would have to plan for athletes to compete abroad.

VBSF and Yen Nhi had agreed before VBSF made the decision.

After receiving feedback from player Nguyen Hoang Yen Nhi, Thanh Nien Newspaper contacted Mr. Doan Tuan Anh - General Secretary of VBSF (also in charge of this sport at the Department of Sports and Physical Training) and received an answer. Mr. Tuan Anh shared: “That is Yen Nhi's personal opinion. In fact, when supporting Yen Nhi with the competition procedures, the two sides discussed with each other that there would be no financial support from VBSF. The decision of VBSF to send Yen Nhi to compete also did not mention anything about financial support.”

The decision was made by consensus between VBSF and the athlete's governing body as well as the athlete.

Mr. Tuan Anh said that according to the procedure, VBSF must confirm Yen Nhi's membership status before the World Carom Billiards 3-Cushion Federation (UMB) will send an invitation to participate in the world championship. "When UMB sent the invitation, VBSF discussed with the athlete. Before deciding to send the athlete to compete, both sides agreed that there would be no financial support from the federation, but the individual or locality would pay for it themselves," the VBSF General Secretary affirmed.

Regarding the income from members, Mr. Tuan explained: “The money paid by members is not enough for the events of the federation during the year. The two tournaments, carom and pool, just counting the prize money in the charter, are already 700 million. The membership fee from members, maximum is only about 350 million/year”.

The VBSF General Secretary added: "Regarding the departments of the department, there will be a source of money available every year. If it is state budget money, there must be a plan from the beginning of the year, not waiting for the department or federation to announce it."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/thuc-hu-co-thu-khong-duoc-ho-tro-tien-di-phap-thi-dau-lien-doan-billiards-noi-gi-185240915183750932.htm