Shock: Referee Tran Dinh Thinh suddenly passed away after a physical exam

(NLDO) - After a period of emergency treatment due to a stroke during a physical test at a training program, referee Tran Dinh Thinh passed away.

During the physical examination on August 3, within the framework of the training program for supervisors and referees of national professional football tournaments in the 2025-2026 season, an unfortunate incident occurred when referee Tran Dinh Thinh suddenly suffered a serious health problem and had to be rushed to the hospital.

Referee Tran Dinh Thinh officiated the match at V-League

Specifically, during the physical examination according to FIFA standards, referee Tran Dinh Thinh showed signs of instability and could not continue the test. With the preparation and arrangement of full-time professional forces from medical work, emergency teams on the field and specialized ambulances with full equipment, they immediately carried out emergency measures, supported breathing and circulation and quickly transferred the referee to the hospital by ambulance for further treatment.

Representatives of the Vietnam Football Federation, VPF Company and the Referee Board were present at the hospital to directly monitor and coordinate the treatment. However, despite the efforts and dedication of the doctors and medical team, referee Tran Dinh Thinh still could not survive and passed away at the age of 43.

Regarding the sudden passing of referee Tran Dinh Thinh, VFF General Secretary Nguyen Van Phu shared: “This is a great loss for Vietnamese football, especially for the national referee force. Referee Tran Dinh Thinh is not only a professional referee, serious in his work, but also a person who is loved by all his colleagues.

His passing leaves a huge void and unspeakable pain. On behalf of VFF and the training program's organizing committee, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the family, relatives and colleagues of referee Tran Dinh Thinh. VFF will coordinate with VPF Company to organize the funeral in the most solemn and meaningful way.

For his part, VFF Vice President, VPF President Tran Anh Tu said: “I am truly shocked and heartbroken by the passing of referee Tran Dinh Thinh. He is an experienced referee, has many contributions and has been honored at prestigious professional awards of V-League. Referee Tran Dinh Thinh's dedication and professionalism have always been recognized by us. This is a huge loss for the Vietnamese referee team. VFF and VPF Company would like to send our deepest condolences to his family and will work with his relatives to take care of referee Tran Dinh Thinh's funeral with all our sorrow and respect.”

Referee Tran Dinh Thinh was born in 1982 in Dong Nai , and started his refereeing journey in 2010. He is a familiar face in the V-League, having been awarded the title "Bronze Whistle" in the 2024 season and "Silver Whistle" in the following season - the highest achievement in his refereeing career.

Mr. Tran Dinh Thinh has many years of experience in arbitration work in Vietnam.

During more than a decade of working in national football tournaments, referee Tran Dinh Thinh always showed composure, seriousness and courage in the assigned matches. His passing is a loss not only to his family and friends but also to a whole generation of referees striving for the development of Vietnamese football.

VFF and VPF Company would like to send our deepest condolences to the family of referee Tran Dinh Thinh. We will work with the family to take care of the funeral, as a thank you and recognition for referee Tran Dinh Thinh's contributions to the country's football.

Regarding the physical fitness test of referees in the training program, this is a mandatory test according to FIFA regulations to assess the ability to undertake duties in national professional football tournaments in the 2025-2026 season.

Recently, the medical work for football activities has been given special attention by VFF. Therefore, the plan to organize physical examination has been carefully prepared by VFF and the Training Organizing Committee.

The referees in the physical test were trained by VFF and the Organizing Committee.

Referees are also informed of the training schedule one month in advance to have time to prepare physically. The testing time is arranged in the morning to avoid the hot weather in recent days, creating the most favorable conditions for the referees.

Medical work was deployed synchronously with 4 ambulances and 4 medical teams on duty at the checkpoint. In addition, all participating referees must complete a health check according to Circular 32/2023/TT-BYT.

This heartbreaking incident is an experience for all members participating in the tournament, including the referee force, to pay close attention and always see that in physical activities there is always a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease even when there are no warning signs that we know in advance, so we need to always pay attention to the smallest changes in health to ensure safety during training.

VFF and VPF Company will continue to promote all activities in the health monitoring process, guide and strengthen medical work, and advise on physical preparation for referees in the preparation process for the new season.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/soc-trong-tai-tran-dinh-thinh-dot-ngot-qua-doi-sau-buoi-kiem-tra-the-luc-196250804064433291.htm