VietNamNet Bridge – The Viet Nam Basketball Federation has submitted plans to send the men's and women's teams to the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Indonesia for approval to the National Sports Administration.

Comeback trail: Basketball is expected to receive the green light from sport officials, which means Viet Nam may send its first basketball team to the Southeast Asian Games in more than six years. (Photo: VNS)

The federation is trying to promote basketball because Viet Nam have not competed in the sport at the last three SEA Games.

"We want to take our teams to the Games to boost basketball in Viet Nam because it has been down for too long," Quan said.

"Both the men's and women's teams have suffered from a lack of funding," he added.

Quan said that the federation would provide US$20,000 to cover travel costs and accommodation during the Games.

However, the federation has to wait for a final decision from the administration before it starts looking for sponsors.

In previous Games, Viet Nam's golf and dancesport teams were allowed to compete under their own funding.

Basketball has suffered for 10 years from a lack of investment and elite competition that has left the country floundering at the bottom of the ASEAN rankings.

The country's women's team bagged a bronze medal at the ASEAN Basketball Championships in 2004, but that was the pinnacle of the nation's achievements in the sport.

Although basketball has been included in the Olympic Games since 1932, the national administration is still reluctant to promote it as one of the country's top sports, over doubts Viet Nam can be successful.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News