VietNamNet Bridge – On June 17, director of the My Dinh Sports Complex – Mr. Can Van Nghia - confirmed that the VND1.5 billion ($70,000) rent for My Dinh stadium is wrong, while the Vietnam Football Federation’s (VFF) Vice Chairman Nguyen Lan Trung said the federation received the VND1.5 billion offer on June 10.

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My Dinh National Stadium.

Nghia said that until the morning of June 17, the VFF worked with officials of the My Dinh Sports Complex on the rent. “During this meeting, we did not talk about the price. The rent will be calculated by related divisions. The VND1.5 billion rent is inaccurate because we did not mention the price in this meeting,'' Nghia stated.

Checking this from VFF Vice Chairman Nguyen Lan Trung, Trung said this the VFF did not make up the VND1.5 billion price. He said: "An official named Phong of the My Dinh National Sports Complex informed VFF of this rent. The announcement included three points: the rent of VND1.5 billion, the VFF has to give My Dinh stadium management board 300 invitation tickets, including 200 tickets for seats in the glass room. Overall, the proposal of the My Dinh stadium is up to more than VND2 billion ($100,000)."

Trung said VFF is willing to pay rent of only VND600 million ($30,000).

The one who received information from the My Dinh National Sports Complex, VFF Deputy General Secretary Nguyen Minh Chau, also confirmed that My Dinh stadium management board informed the VFF of the VND1.5 billion. However, Mr. Nghia insisted on the false information.

Director of the My Dinh Sports Complex – Mr. Can Van Nghia.

Nghia said that the rent in Thailand and Malaysia is much higher than the price in Vietnam. In the game with Arsenal in Thailand, the organizers had to pay approximately $1 million for the stadium while the conditions of My Dinh stadium are better than the stadium in Thailand. However, Nghia refused to provide the sources.

Asking Nghia about the rent for the upcoming game between Arsenal and the national squad, Nghia said: "By this time I cannot say anything because I have to wait for reports from my inferiors."

Nghia also said that since 2012, the My Dinh National Sports Complex has become an autonomous unit. It targets to earn revenues of VND35-40 billion a year, of which it has to spend VND10 billion per year for the maintenance of the stadium and other facilities. "The sum is not small, so we have to maximally exploit the stadium. I hope that sports federations, including the VFF to share and support us,'' he added

Nghia said that the contract will be signed in the next few days and the rent will be kept secret. At the same time, he supported the development of a rent table for the My Dinh stadium to avoid unnecessary controversy.

The same day, VFF Chairman Nguyen Trong Hy met with Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Khanh Hai. A VFF leader said the meeting was good and he believed that the Ministry would help the VFF to solve the issue.

Nguyen Nam