Vietnam Disqualified from World Championship Over Use of Male Players
The FIVB disqualified the under-21 squad mid-tournament after claims that two ‘female’ athletes were actually men, sparking one of the most bizarre scandals in the sport’s history.
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A major scandal has erupted in the volleyball world after the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) announced on Tuesday that Vietnam’s women’s U21 team has been suspended from the ongoing World Championship in Indonesia.
The official reason given was the “illegal participation of a player,” but international reports are telling a far stranger story: suspicions that not one, but two of Vietnam’s “female” players are in fact men.
According to local media, the players in question, identified as Ti Hong Dang and Phung Quyn, were registered as women but may be biologically male. The claims emerged after Vietnam stunned Serbia to take second place in their preliminary group with a 4–1 record. A formal complaint was lodged, and an FIVB investigation followed.
The governing body confirmed that one player failed to meet the eligibility criteria outlined in Article 12.2 of its disciplinary code. As a result, all of Vietnam’s matches in which he participated were forfeited, and the team was disqualified from the tournament.
The FIVB did not address rumors that the players might be transgender women or men misregistered as female athletes, nor did it confirm reports that both passed initial medical checks conducted by tournament organizers.
The Vietnam Volleyball Federation has denied wrongdoing, stating that it submitted all required documentation ahead of the championship and received FIVB approval. They claim the disqualification came only after additional paperwork was requested on August 12, mid-tournament.
The matter has now been referred to the FIVB’s Supreme Tribunal, where the Vietnamese federation and the players will have the opportunity to present their case in writing.