At the U21 Women's Volleyball World Championship in Surabaya, Indonesia, a scandal erupted that completely changed the standings and the elimination bracket. The national team of Vietnam was officially sanctioned by the FIVB for using an ineligible player in several matches of the tournament. According to Polish media, this likely happened after gender determination tests were conducted.
What the FIVB investigation found
Following reports that Vietnam had included an ineligible player in its squad (according to Polish media, it was two players), the FIVB conducted an official investigation in accordance with its regulations. The conclusion: the player is ineligible according to Article 12.2 of the FIVB Disciplinary Regulations (2023).
As a result, and in accordance with Article 13.5.2 of the Event Regulations and Article 14.4 of the Disciplinary Regulations, the Disciplinary Commission ruled:
All matches of Vietnam in which this player participated are awarded by forfeit to the opponents with a score of 3:0 (25:0, 25:0, 25:0).
The player is disqualified from the tournament with immediate effect.
Furthermore, the case file will be sent for further evaluation by the FIVB Disciplinary Commission, which may impose sanctions beyond this championship. At this stage, the Vietnamese Federation and the player will be able to submit their written statements.
The FIVB states that it will not comment further on the case while the procedure is ongoing.
New standings in Group A
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina |
| 2 | Serbia |
| 3 | Puerto Rico |
| 4 | Indonesia |
| 5 | Canada |
| 6 | Vietnam |
Argentina retains the leading position, but the big winner is Indonesia, which climbs from sixth to fourth place and enters the elimination phase. Serbia got the chance to avoid a clash with Italy already in the round of 16, and instead, the European champion will play against the more accessible opponent Puerto Rico.
Official letter from FIVB to the teams
"The Vietnamese team fielded an ineligible player in several matches of the tournament. All affected results are annulled and replaced with 3:0 (25:0, 25:0, 25:0) in favor of the opponents. The standings have been updated, and the full schedule will be sent later tonight."
The scandal with Vietnam not only rearranges the sports logic of the tournament in Surabaya but also places a serious emphasis on adherence to player eligibility rules across all age categories. News of possible additional penalties, which may affect the Vietnamese Federation beyond the scope of this championship, is expected in the coming days.
