VTV wins rights to cover AFF Cup

Viet Nam Television (VTV) has won the television rights with Japanese Dentsu Alpha media company to cover the ASEAN Football Championships, the AFF-Suzuki Cup, next month.

VTV will officially announce the deal at a press conference in Ha Noi tomorrow, Nov 18.

According to the agreement, VTV will broadcast Viet Nam's Group B matches against Myanmar, Singapore and the Philippines from December 2-8.

The country will co-host the event with Indonesia from December 1-29.

Indonesia will host Group A, which comprises of Thailand, Malaysia and Laos.

Calisto calls up Olympic players for AFF Cup

Portuguese coach Henrique Calisto, 57, has named eight players from Viet Nam's Olympic team in the 30-member national squad for the ASEAN Football Championship – the AFF Suzuki Cup.

The eight players are now at the Asian Games.

They are play maker Pham Thanh Luong - always a first choice for the coach- central defender Nguyen Minh Duc, goalie Bui Tan Truong, striker Nguyen Anh Duc and left winger Nguyen Trong Hoang.

The coach has also included three debutantes for the national team - midfielders Dinh Thanh Trung, Ngoc Dieu and defender Nguyen Quoc Long.

He will announce a final squad of 20 players just few days before the month-long AFF Suzuki Cup kicks off in Viet Nam and Indonesia on Wednesday, December 1.

Vietnamese referee-of-year to officiate at ASEAN Cup

FIFA-accredited referee Vo Minh Tri and assistant Nguyen Hoang Minh will officiate at the ASEAN Football Championships next month, announced the Viet Nam Football Federation.

Tri, who was voted Vietnamese referee of the year last month, is assigned to referee Group A matches in Indonesia.

Group A, which has been nicknamed the ‘Group of Death', includes the 2008 AFF Cup runners-up Thailand, along with Indonesia, Malaysia and Laos.

Viet Nam, who won the title in 2008, have drawn in group B with Singapore, Myanmar and the Philippines.

Athletics federation offers cash award to gold winners

Viet Nam Athletics Federation has announced it will give a cash prize of VND100 million (US$5,000) to any of its teams to win a gold medal at the Asian Games in Guangzhou.

The winners of individual golds will receive VND50 million ($2,500) each.

Viet Nam has yet to bag an athletics medal at the Asian Games since the country made its debut in 1982.

The athletics will run from November 21-27.

Earlier this month, the sports administration announced it would award gold medals winners VND30 million (US$1,500), in addition to a VND45 million ($2,200) award from the Government.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News