Lightning strikes out of a clear sky.
“I assert that the Disciplinary Committee's decision to deduct points from the SGXT team is unconvincing. This will have repercussions for many teams, including SLNA.” Mr. Nguyen Hong Thanh (General Director of SLNA Joint Stock Company) stated this upon receiving the news that the SGXT team had officially withdrawn from the league two rounds before the end of the season.
(Baonghean)“I assert that the Disciplinary Committee's decision to deduct points from the SGXT team is unconvincing. This will have repercussions for many teams, including SLNA.” Mr. Nguyen Hong Thanh (General Director of SLNA Joint Stock Company) stated this upon receiving the news that the SGXT team had officially withdrawn from the league two rounds before the end of the season.
On the afternoon of August 20th, the entire SLNA team flew back to Nghe An from Ho Chi Minh City after their resounding victory at Thong Nhat Stadium against SGXT, continuing to harbor hopes of creating an upset in the championship race. However, their joy was short-lived as late yesterday afternoon (August 21st) news spread widely that SGXT had been officially penalized 4 points by the Disciplinary Committee, and this could lead to further changes in the coming days, potentially unfavorable for SLNA.
Therefore, during training, many SLNA players were discussing the situation and feeling very confused. Almost all of them were waiting for an official announcement from the coaching staff. Team captain Nguyen Trong Hoang directly asked: "I wonder if SGXT is really withdrawing from the league? If that's true, it's like denying all the achievements that the SLNA players have fought so hard for the team and for the love of the fans." Sharing that same sentiment, almost the entire team's morale dropped significantly when they thought about the possibility of suddenly having points deducted and being relegated to fourth place because their 6 points from the first and second leg victories against SGXT were invalidated. This would mean that their chances of competing for the championship with HN T&T would be almost zero.
Yesterday afternoon (August 21st), the coaching staff and management of SLNA Company, along with sponsor BacA Bank, held an official meeting to discuss the team's contingency plan in the worst-case scenario. The meeting lasted nearly three hours, with many options discussed. However, when news broke that SGXT Club had officially withdrawn from the league, they were almost certainly not happy.
SLNA football team coaching staff.
Press release from Xuan Thanh Saigon Club.
In a direct interview with the writer, Mr. Nguyen Hong Thanh affirmed: "The SGXT team's decision to withdraw from the league is an unsavory event for the development of Vietnamese football. However, from a personal perspective, there are many unresolved issues surrounding SGXT's withdrawal. Firstly, there is dissatisfaction with the Disciplinary Committee's decision to deduct 4 points from SGXT. They did not base their decision on any concrete evidence. If they claim a player, or group of players, was involved in match-fixing or lacked enthusiasm, they must provide written evidence. Meanwhile, the leadership and coaching staff of SGXT insist that only a few players whose contracts are about to expire played without enthusiasm, but they did not accuse them of match-fixing."
Secondly, on what basis were 4 points deducted instead of 3? That's why SGXT proactively withdrew from the tournament. This will affect the entire standings. It can be said that SLNA is the biggest loser, having 6 points taken away that we worked so hard to earn, while our direct competitor (HN T&T) only has 4 points, meaning 90% of the championship will be awarded after the next round.”
Although SLNA's chances of winning the championship are slim (currently second and 2 points behind HN T&T), with the enthusiastic support of their large contingent of "12th players," they will fight until the very last round. Canceling all the results of the teams competing against SGXT would cause significant disruption, benefiting teams like HAGL and HN T&T, while SLNA would suffer a double blow. It's not unlikely that some teams will protest, similar to what happened to Saigon United in the past.
When we raised this issue with the SLNA leadership, we received the following response: “Cleaning up Vietnamese football through disciplinary measures is necessary, but it must be truly fair and convincing. If not done carefully, it will negatively impact the image of Vietnamese football. As for SLNA, we will respect the league regulations and leave the judgment to the fans nationwide” (Mr. Nguyen Hong Thanh).
In the coming days, Vietnamese football will experience many changes, possibly even requiring a resolution from the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Let's wait and see; the drama is yet to come.
Dai Nghia (TT&VH Newspaper – VNA)
