Over 90 chess masters compete in HDBank International Open

More than 90 domestic and foreign chess players will meet at the Ramana Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City from March 10-16 to compete in the fourth HDBank International Open Chess Tournament 2014.

Nearly 60 locals, including well known names Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son, Dao Thien Hai and Nguyen Duc Hoa, will battle it out for a slice of the US$35,000 total prize money, with 33 foreigners from the leading countries in chess such as China, India, Russia and Hungary.

The overall champion walks away with US$12,000 while the second and third-placed finishers receive respective sums of US$5,000 and US$3,000.

The host’s top chess star Le Quang Liem, who is also reigning champion of the tournament, will return home from the US to join the competition for the fourth consecutive time, aiming to keep the trophy in Vietnam.

Officials sent to the touchlines

Referees and assistants have been suspended until the end of the V-League's first-leg matches after their misjudgements in the National Premier League recently.

Referee Phung Quoc Quan gave a goal to Song Lam Nghe An in a match against Hung Vuong An Giang last week when it was scored from off-side. Later, he only gave a yellow card to defender Tran Dinh Dong, whose violent strike broke midfielder Nguyen Anh Hung's leg.

The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) said Dong must receive a red card. Quan's assitant Tran Thanh Liem was said to be involved in the first mistake. Both of them will be rested until April 20, which means they will be barred from six matches.

Another referee, Nguyen Van Kien, received a similar punishment for ignoring many violent strikes by teams Hai Phong and Da Nang last week. His assistant, Truong Duc Chien, too was sidelined for two matches.

Nguyen Hai Huong, the head of VFF's Referee Councils, said: "These bans are pretty heavy and have been imposed so that referees and assistants focus and do their best in matches later."

70 cyclists to participate in international cycling event

The International Womens Cycling Tournament, the Binh Duong Open, will kick off on March 7 with the participation of 11 local and foreign teams.

Seventy cyclists will compete in a race of nearly 700 kilometres over eight stages.

In its fourth edition, the tournament organisers have invited strong rivals, Thailand, Japan and Malaysia, to participate in the event.

The organisers said the foreign competitors will have to vie for the Cup with Viet Nams strongest squads from Binh Duong Water Supply and Drainage, An Giang Plant Protection and Domesco Pharmacy Dong Thap.

"This year the length of the race is longer and the cyclists will pass through mountainous and hilly terrain. These would be big obstacles for everyone," said Ngo Van Lui, deputy head of the organising board.

The 105-km long first stage will be from Binh Duong City to Xuan Loc District of Dong Nai Province.

The tournament will conclude on March 14 and the winner will walk away with VND30 million, or US$1,500. The organisers will also present prizes to the best cyclist and the top teams.

Vinh wins weightlifting silver

Viet Nam won a silver at the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships being held in Thailand.

On Tuesday, Ly Quang Vinh came second in the men's 50kg category, lifting a total of 202kg, 11kg less than winner Zheng Liangrun from China.

Kim Yong Gun from North Korea came third, lifting 194kg.

In total, there are six athletes from Viet Nam. Among them, Nguyen Tran Tuan Anh is expected to win a medal in the men's 56kg class.

The Thai championships have 560 athletes from 40 countries participating and will continue until March 12. They are a precursor to the second Olympic Youth Games to be held in China in August.

World No 8 sent home by S Korean

Qualifier Lee Dong-keun of South Korea came from behind to beat Viet Nam's world No 8 Nguyen Tien Minh 17-21, 21-16, 21-16 in the first round of the Yonex All England Open badminton tournament yesterday in Birmingham.

Minh's defeat was the biggest shock of the opening round.

Last year Minh reached the quarter-finals where he was beaten 21-17, 21-19 by world No 1 Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia.

The All England Open has lured some of the world's top athletes competing for prize money of US$400,000. The event will wrap up on Sunday. 

Vietnamese football officials vow to scrutinise on-field violence

The Vietnamese Football Federation (VFF) has vowed to strictly punish any players and referees who are caught committing or ignoring violent acts on field.

On March 3, the VFF announced its punishment to Tran Dinh Dong, a defender of Song Lam Nghe An Club and three referees. Even though Song Lam Nghe An FC argued that Dong did not intentionally cause injury to a HV An Giang's player, Nguyen Anh Hung, Hong was fined VND20 million and banned from this year V-League. He was also asked to pay all hospital fees for Anh Hung.

Nguyen Hai Huong, head of VFF's disciplinary committee said, "This blind protection from FCs has spoiled many players. They never admit their faults. Dong's action was not intentional but it was brutal and unnecessary. Hong could jump up but he chose to kick, breaking the Hung's leg."

According to Huong, Hung is from a poor family. His father died and his mother's health is in bad shape so everything depends on Hung's career. Meanwhile, Dong already has a 'rough' history on the field and received punishment from the VFF previously. "The media and public should strongly criticise such actions to protect other players. There are many brutal players playing in V-League," Huong said.

The referee committee also informed that they suspended three referees. This is not the first time that referees show leniency to violence on field despite warnings from the committee. However, head of referee committee Nguyen Tan Hien said they due to commit mistakes from the pressure. "But we hope they will deliver stricter punishment in the coming times." he said.

Recently, many violence scenes have been captured during the V-League, leading to serious injuries to the players. After the first 29 matches, it is estimated that 4.58 yellow cards were given out per match. In the mean time, only 3.2 yellow cards were given out per match during the English Premiere League, one of the most familiar league to Vietnamese audience.

Even some experts had to admitted that some of the collisions seems to satisfy player's blood thirst than to compete for the ball.