Confession of the mother of the U11 Song Lam Nghe An player suspected of age fraud
The young player’s mother believes that her son did not cheat on his age and has all the legal documents to prove that he is only 11 years old. She also hopes that the authorities will restore his innocence so that he can continue to pursue his passion for football.
Mother's Tears
On September 11, we met Ms. Ng. T. T - mother of BV B player after the scandal about this player being accused ofage fraud, causing Song Lam Nghe An club to receive a series ofsevere discipline
In her house in Dau Lieu ward (Hong Linh town, Ha Tinh), Ms. T. said that she was very heartbroken after reading the information in the press. “Up to now, no agency, unit or individual has come to work with the family to verify the child's age. But now, they say that my child cheated on his age. I am a mother, I gave birth to my child with a complete birth certificate,” Ms. T. said in resentment.
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The 42-year-old woman confirmed that her son was born on February 8, 2013 in Dau Lieu ward. On March 2, 2013, the family made a birth certificate for him, and they still keep that certificate today.
"He is very passionate about football, ever since he was little, when he could walk, he always held the ball with him," Ms. T. said, adding that after a short time of primary school in his hometown, his family moved him to live with his aunt in Tan Ky district (Nghe An), to satisfy B's passion for football. Because this aunt's son also has a talent for football, he is currently a promising young player of Song Lam Nghe An. In 2022, B. was admitted to the U9 team of Song Lam Nghe An and has been trained at the club ever since.
Working with us, Ms. T. and the representative of Song Lam Nghe An club also presented many documents proving that BVB was born in 2013, not 2010. These included a birth certificate, an identity card bearing the name BVB born in 2013, and verification from the judicial agency of Hong Linh town.
“As the person who gave birth to my child, seeing so many people gossiping and putting down my child is heartbreaking. I really hope the authorities will clear my child’s name so he can pursue his passion for football,” Ms. T. said in tears.
Is the disciplinary decision hasty?
Holding the birth certificate and many other related documents provided by the family, the reporter also had a meeting with the leaders of the People's Committee of Dau Lieu Ward. After reviewing the birth certificate and comparing it with the household registration records stored in the ward, Ms. Le Thi Thanh Hai - Chairman of the People's Committee of Dau Lieu Ward issued a document confirming that "birth certificate No. 45, book No. 01/2013 in the name of BVB was issued by the People's Committee of Dau Lieu Ward on March 2, 2013". This paper clearly states that BVB was born on February 8, 2013.
In addition, Ms. Hai also said that after the scandal about the suspicion of B. cheating on her age, the Hong Linh Town Police also went to the ward to verify, but so far the police have not reached a conclusion. The Disciplinary Board of the Vietnam Football Federation as well as the Organizing Committee of the National Children's Football Tournament have not come to work with the ward to verify.
Not only the People's Committee of Dau Lieu Ward, Ms. Le Hong Hanh - Head of the Justice Department of Hong Linh Town also issued a document confirming the birth registration information of BVB. In this document, Ms. Hanh said that after checking the birth registration file of BVB stored at the People's Committee of Dau Lieu Ward and the civil status management software under the management authority, she confirmed that "individual BV B, born on February 8, 2013, currently has birth registration data at the People's Committee of Dau Lieu Ward, in registration book No. 45, book No. 01/2013, dated March 2, 2013, signed by Mr. Bui Chien Thang - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dau Lieu Ward (with a copy of the birth certificate attached). The data has been fully registered both in the birth registration book and on the national electronic civil status management software".
Talking to Nghe An Newspaper reporter, a leaderSong Lam Nghe An Club,said: The team was shocked to receive the disciplinary decision of the Vietnam Football Federation Disciplinary Board.
“We only received the disciplinary decision after it was published in the press. Before the disciplinary action, the Disciplinary Board did not go to the club to verify, did not go to meet the family or the locality to find out. We do not know where we went wrong. Because the BVB player has all the legal documents proving that he is old enough to play U11,” he said, adding that before that, B. had participated in some matches in the national U11 qualifying round. Before the final round took place, a team said that B. was 13 years old.
“Although they did not provide sufficient evidence, in order to ensure the tournament runs smoothly, we still decided to remove B. from the squad and not continue to participate in the U11 team for the final round,” he added.
Discussing this issue, lawyer Nguyen Trong Hai - Head of Trong Hai and Associates Law Office said that, from a legal perspective, the Disciplinary Board of the Vietnam Football Federation based on the regulations without using the verification, investigation, and research process and especially without any notice to Song Lam Nghe An Club but made a hasty decision.
“Regarding the individuals in Song Lam Nghe An who were disciplined, they are the ones responsible for managing and using the players. The player selection process is based on legal documents confirmed by competent authorities provided by the family with clear dates of birth. The club signed a very systematic training contract. I think that using B. is not wrong. The individuals involved are not wrong,” Mr. Hai said, adding that matters related to the household registration of people, children or adults, all have documents confirmed by competent authorities.
“I just learned very clearly that the Chairman of the People's Committee of Dau Lieu Ward has a document confirming that in the birth registration book, March 2, 2013 was the date of birth registration for child B. This is a very valuable document to confirm that child B. was born and registered on that day. It is a document proving that child B. was born in 2013 with a very clear date of birth,” Mr. Hai added.
Previously, on September 9, the Disciplinary Board of the Vietnam Football Federation suddenly issued a series of heavy disciplinary decisions against the U11 Song Lam Nghe An team, the team leader, and the head coach for registering and using players of the wrong age, seriously violating the tournament's regulations.
Specifically, U11 Song Lam Nghe An was fined 10 million VND and banned from participating in football tournaments organized by VFF for a period of two years. In addition, the disciplinary committee also revoked the team's titles, cups, flags, medals and bonuses. Team leader Tran Quang Dung and head coach Nguyen Quang Tho were also banned from participating in football tournaments managed and organized by VFF for a period of two years.
Mr. Ho Le Duc - General Director of Song Lam Nghe An Club said that this disciplinary action was too sudden, because the club had not received any notice from the Vietnam Football Federation regarding the disciplinary action against the U11 Song Lam Nghe An team; at the same time, it had never received a notice from the competent authority concluding whether B.'s application to participate in the 2024 National U11 tournament was correct or not.
“Song Lam Nghe An did not falsify the records of the players participating in the 2024 National U11 Championship. Song Lam Nghe An did not send players to the 2024 National U11 Championship that were of the wrong age. Song Lam Nghe An does not have the function or expertise to investigate B's records. All documents, citizen identification cards, and identification codes provided by B. are in accordance with regulations. If B.'s legal records are incorrect, whichever agency issued them must take responsibility. We relied on the player's legal records to register the players to compete. Therefore, the Vietnam Football Federation's withdrawal of SLNA's 2024 National U11 Championship and discipline of the individuals involved is not satisfactory,” Mr. Duc said, adding that the club will send a complaint to the VFF Disciplinary Board.
"We want to know, based on what conclusion of the Police Agency to make that decision. We hope that the Vietnam Football Federation needs to clarify which organization or individual caused the age fraud problem. If it is proven that Song Lam Nghe An did wrong, we will accept all forms of discipline," Mr. Duc added.