VIETNAM star spiker Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen is expected to miss the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand this December.
A report from Thailand News Agency explains that Tuyen was excluded from the list of players registered by Vietnam for the tournament.
If this proves to be the case, Tuyen can no longer be added as a late replacement, as the Sep. 15 deadine set by the biennial meet’s organizing committee has already lapsed.
“According to information from the 33rd SEA Games Organizing Committee, the star of the Vietnamese women's volleyball team, Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen, will not be included in the squad participating in the 2025 SEA Games,” the report wrote.
“This athlete played an important role in helping the Vietnamese national volleyball team win the second round of the 2025 SEA V-League.”
READ: Vietnam puts stunning end to Thailand's six-year SEA V.League run
The report also noted that gender tests will be conducted for this year’s SEA Games.
Embattled with gender issues throughout her career, Tuyen withdrew from Vietnam’s Women’s World Championship squad in the aftermath of their maiden SEA V.League win over Thailand.
Outrage from the Thais, who were the hosts of the FIVB Worlds last month, was succeeded by Tuyen’s decision to remove herself from national team consideration due to ‘personal reasons.’
Prior to that debacle, two Vietnamese players in the under-21 World Championship were ruled ineligible midway through the competition for failing gender tests.
For this year’s SEA Games, the Thai report explained that gender testing can be done before or during the tournament upon the request of any competing team.
Good news for Alas?
A Tuyen-less Vietnam could give Alas Pilipinas a slim yet workable opening come the biennial meet to secure its first SEA Games medal in 20 years.
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