Vietnam Taekwondo Federation takes action against parent who accused coach of beating child with bamboo stick

Speaking with Thanh Nien Online on January 12, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Huy - Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Taekwondo Federation (VTF) said that VTF had just received a complaint from Mr. NTH residing in Hoa Xuan Ward, Cam Le District, Da Nang City about his child, NTNM, being beaten by the coach while practicing taekwondo.

The image of baby NTNM with a red patch on his chest was taken by his parents and reported for being beaten by the coach while practicing taekwondo.

The specific complaint is as follows (original text): "My son studied and trained from December 1, 2023 to January 10, 2025 at SEUNG RI TAEKWONDO TEAM Club (Club Code: CLB_00349; Address: No. 151/1 Ho Nguyen Trung Street, Khue Trung Ward, Cam Le District, Da Nang City) with Mr. Nguyen Van Kin as head coach and club president.

On the evening of January 9, 2025, I picked up my nephew from the club's martial arts training location (No. 151/1 Ho Nguyen Trung Street, Khue Trung Ward, Cam Le District, Da Nang City) and when he arrived home, he said that the club's head coach, Nguyen Van Kin, used a bamboo stick to hit his thighs and the assistant coach, Quy, used the back of a training stick (chicken thigh) to hit his buttocks and chest while he was lying on his side (practicing kicking movements). The pain was so great that he sat up and Quy used his heel to kick him straight in the back, making him lie flat.

Close-up of NTNM's wound, which the parent accused of being beaten by the coach

I immediately used my phone to take pictures of all the marks on the child's body (with specific locations and times on each photo) and reported to the Da Nang city hotline about the serious violation of the child's body. At the same time, I took the child to Khue Trung ward police station to work, Khue Trung ward police station instructed me to take the child to the hospital to check for injuries. After the examination, I took the child back to Khue Trung ward police station and they took detailed statements from the child, at the hospital as well as during work, the child kept saying that his buttocks hurt so much to the investigator. I provided Coach Nguyen Van Kin's phone number as requested by the police station and they called Coach Nguyen Van Kin and assistant Coach Quy to work.

On the morning of January 10, 2025, my child said he could not sleep all night, his whole body ached, especially his buttocks. Since then, he has suffered a serious psychological crisis, always afraid of being beaten by the coach and assistant coach when he goes back to martial arts school, afraid of being beaten by martial arts students at this club when his father explains everything, afraid of being beaten when he meets the coach and assistant coach again at the upcoming Khue Trung ward police station. I had to constantly comfort and encourage him and at the same time transferred him to study and practice at another club.

The wound on NTNM's back is believed to be caused by a beating from the coach.

On the evening of January 10, 2025, I checked my child's body again and saw that the heel mark on his back was still there. I took a picture. I had witnessed many times at the old location of the club (No. 88A Huy Can Street, Khue Trung Ward, Cam Le District, Da Nang City) Coach Nguyen Van Kin and his assistant coaches using bamboo sticks made from broomsticks or plastic pipes to beat martial artists when they practiced the wrong moves. Low belt levels were beaten less than high belt levels, including my child. I had advised the coach that using a stick like that to teach was offensive, anti-pedagogical and violated the child's body, which the coach did not accept.

My child came home from school and often told his mother that he was beaten by teacher Kin so much, he was beaten almost every training session, most of the students were beaten. His mother asked me to transfer to another club, but because I hesitated and was too lenient, he was beaten like that. The brutal beating of a child who was unable to defend himself, especially in a prone position, was an inhumane and hooligan act by coach Nguyen Van Kin and assistant coach Quy. They trampled on the dignity and seriously violated the child's body.

We respectfully request the leaders of the Vietnam Taekwondo Federation and the Inspection Board of the Vietnam Taekwondo Federation VTF to permanently remove this club as well as coach Nguyen Van Kin and assistant coach Quy from the breath and life of Vietnam Taekwondo, and at the same time serve as a warning to Taekwondo coaches nationwide not to treat violently, beat, or trample on the dignity of martial artists, especially children."

Mr. NTH added: "Previously, my child studied Taekwondo at An Hai Bac Club (Da Nang) with teacher Thien (martial artist, 5th degree, the teacher has passed away) and assistant coach Le Tuan Vu, the study time was about more than 5 years (including the pandemic period) and he achieved 1st degree black belt. Then the family moved house so I took him to study at Seung Ri Club from December 1, 2023 until now, he achieved 2nd degree black belt. He is a gentle, obedient, small child. I was very upset when he was beaten so brutally just because he did not perform the martial arts movements correctly, the assistant coach who beat him brutally was also a 2nd degree black belt.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Huy said that the VTF Inspection Board and Communications Board have stepped in and are discussing and working with relevant parties to find out clearly and take measures to handle the matter.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/lien-doan-taekwondo-viet-nam-vao-cuoc-vu-phu-huynh-to-con-bi-hlv-danh-bang-roi-tre-185250112215027441.htm