How will Thailand benefit if Bich Tuyen does not attend SEA Games 33?

Bich Tuyen and Tran Thi Thanh Thuy celebrate their score against Thailand

Specifically, according to Thailand News Agency, the 33rd SEA Games Organizing Committee said that Vietnam did not register Bich Tuyen in the list of delegations attending the 33rd SEA Games. The registration deadline of September 15 has passed.

Thai media also quoted the 33rd SEA Games Executive Director of Thailand, Chaiphak Siriwat, that this year's games will conduct gender screening.

Previously, at the U21 Women's Volleyball World Championship in Indonesia, the Vietnam U21 team was deducted points for a number of matches with the reason given by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) that some players were not qualified to compete. After this incident, Bich Tuyen proactively asked to withdraw from the Vietnam women's volleyball team participating in the World Championship taking place at the end of August.

The athlete who was determined to be ineligible to compete in the U21 World Cup is Dang Thi Hong. She was recently suspended by FIVB from competing in tournaments under this system, and is therefore temporarily banned from participating in domestic tournaments of VFV (Vietnam Volleyball Federation).

Regarding the case of athletes registering to participate in the 33rd SEA Games, VFV said it will comply with the regulations of the congress's organizing committee.

Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen is an athlete who has contributed a lot to the achievements of Vietnamese women's volleyball in recent times. Most recently, she helped the Vietnamese women's volleyball team defeat Thailand for the first time when the two teams met at the Southeast Asian Women's Championship, SEA V-League 2025. Coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet and his team had a spectacular comeback, winning 3-2 against a team consisting of all the strongest Thai athletes such as Pimpichaya, Thatdao, Ajcharaporn and especially the return of No. 1 striker Chatchu-on after injury.

At the 33rd SEA Games, the Vietnamese women's volleyball team aims to win gold. The absence of Bich Tuyen will be a big loss for Vietnam in the context that Thailand, identified as the main opponent, has the home advantage.

However, in the recent Executive Committee meeting, VFV remained steadfast in its goal of winning the gold medal, and said it would focus its efforts on helping the Vietnamese women's volleyball team achieve success.