VietNamNet Bridge – The host of the Southeast Asian Games 2011 – Indonesia – wants to exclude women’s football from the upcoming SEA Games. Vietnam strongly protests the move. The Southeast Asian Sports Council will announce its decision after February 22.

Indonesia recently released the list of sports of SEA Games 2011, which will take place in November. With 44 sports, the games will grant 562 sets of medals. Notably, the list didn’t include women’s football. Indonesian women’s football team is considered the weakest in the region.

The Vietnam Football Federation strongly protests Indonesia’s idea. Vietnam’s women team has won three championships at the SEA Games. If this sport is rejected from the SEA Games 2011, Vietnam will lose a medal.

“If Indonesia’s idea becomes reality, it would be a step back for women’s football in the region. It is also a great loss for Vietnam because we are the candidate for the championship. We are bringing new blood into the national team. The team needs to play at elite tournaments to serve its future goals. Without the SEA Games, the team’s development will be affected,” said Chair of the Vietnam Football Federation Nguyen Trong Hy.

Hy believes that Indonesia will change its viewpoint, saying that besides Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar and Laos, which have strong women’s football teams, also want to have women’s football at the upcoming SEA Games.

“Women’s football is not in the list of sports for SEA Games 26 but Indonesia recently asked whether Vietnam wanted to register a women’s football team. Vietnam, other countries and the Southeast Asian Football Federation will find a way to add women’s football to SEA Games 26,” Hy said.

Vuong Bich Thang, chief of the General Department of Sports and Physical Training, said that Vietnam will propose including women’s football to the SEA Games 2011 at the upcoming meeting of the Southeast Asian Sports Council. the final decision will be made after this meeting,

The Chinese coach of the national women’s team Chen Yun Fat remains calm. He said the team’s plan will not change.

The team convened on February 13 in Hanoi. On February 14, the team moved to Tam Dao for a ten-day physical training.

Before joining the qualifier round of the Olympic London 2012 with Thailand, Myanmar, Hong Kong and Taiwan in Taiwan on March 18-27, the team will have a short training session in Taiwan.

Coach Chen Yun Fat called 23 players, including many young and new faces after Kim Chi, Mai Lan, Van Thi Thanh and Dao Thi Mien left.

The list of the national women’s football team:

Goalkeepers: Dang Thi Kieu Trinh, Le Thi Tuyet Mai, Tran Thi Kim Thanh (HCM City), Duong Thi Khanh Ly (Hanoi)

Fullbacks: Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh, Nguyen Thi Nga, Nguyen Thi Xuyen, Trinh Thi Hoan (Hanoi) Nguyen Hai Hoa (Thai Nguyen), Kim Hong, Tran Thi Hong Linh (HCM City), Bui Thi Nhu, Tran Thi Hong Nhung (Ha Nam).

Halfbacks: Le Thi Thuong, Pham Hoang Quynh (Vietnam Coal and Mineral Group), Nguyen Thi Muon, Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, Vu Thi Hoang Linh (Hanoi), Tran Nguyen Bao Chau (HCM City)

Strikers: Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet, Nguyen Thi Hoa (Hanoi), Le Thi Thu  Huong (Ha Nam).

PV