Lam Quang Nhat does not compete 'internally' but still participates in SEA Games 29

Head of the Vietnamese delegation at the 29th SEA Games, Tran Duc Phan, confirmed that Lam Quang Nhat will still participate in the regional sports festival even though he will not compete "internally" with his teammates.

Responding to VOV.VN after the departure ceremony of the Vietnamese Sports Delegation to the 29th SEA Games, Head of the Delegation Tran Duc Phan affirmed that swimmer Lam Quang Nhat will still compete in his specialty 1,500m at the regional sports festival, even though he did not participate in the "internal" selection competition with his two teammates Nguyen Huy Hoang and Nguyen Huu Kim Son yesterday (August 8).

“The Director of the Department of High Performance Sports and the coaching staff of the national swimming team reported to me about the assignment of two athletes Lam Quang Nhat and Nguyen Huy Hoang to compete in the 1,500m event. Athlete Nguyen Huu Kim Son will compete in the 200m and 400m events,” said Mr. Tran Duc Phan.

Head of the Vietnamese delegation, Tran Duc Phan, confirmed that swimmer Lam Quang Nhat will still participate in the 29th SEA Games even though he will not compete in the internal selection with his teammates. Photo: Trong Phu

The Deputy Director General of the General Department of Sports and Physical Training said that the test is only a basis, the final decision belongs to the coaching staff. Previously, Lam Quang Nhat and Nguyen Huy Hoang were the two names chosen to compete in the 1,500m event, as well as planning for training, competition, and choosing the peak performance for this SEA Games in Malaysia.

In recent days, the internal war in the national swimming team has caused a stir in the green race when 3 athletes Lam Quang Nhat, Nguyen Huy Hoang and Nguyen Huu Kim Son had to compete in a selection competition to choose 2 athletes to compete at the 29th SEA Games in their specialty event of 1,500m.

Clip of Lam Quang Nhat shining at SEA Games 28 in Singapore

To protest this "home team competition", 20-year-old swimmer from Ho Chi Minh City Lam Quang Nhat decided not to participate in the selection, even if he was not allowed to participate in the 29th SEA Games even though he was ready.

Head of the delegation Tran Duc Phan emphasized: “The selection of Quang Nhat to compete in the 1,500m event is not based on whether or not this athlete attended the internal test on the morning of August 8, but based on his performance and the professional decision of the coaching staff. The General Department of Sports and Physical Training respects the decision of the coaching staff because they are given the final decision, and the delegation or the General Department does not interfere in professional matters.”

This statement by Mr. Tran Duc Phan has ended the controversy that has lasted for the past few days in the national swimming team before the 29th SEA Games, when Lam Quang Nhat was still registered to compete in his favorite swimming event despite deciding to "boycott" the internal competition with two teammates./.

According to VOV