The Union Mondiale de Billard - UMB (World Union of Billiards) has banned 27 Vietnamese billiards players who competed in the 2024 Hanoi Open in August.

The ban will last for one year.

The Vietnam Billiards & Snooker Federation (VBSF) already informed the Departments of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of all localities, as well as local federations of the punishment. 

The 2024 Hanoi Open was held from August 19 to 26 by the Professional Billiards Association (PBA), an organization established in South Korea and a rival of UMB.

Vietnam had 32 male players participating in the event. Among them, five -- Nguyen Quoc Nguyen, Ngo Dinh Nai, Ma Minh Cam, Nguyen Huynh Phuong Linh, and Nguyen Duc Anh Chien -- were already banned by UMB for switching their affiliation to PBA.

Of the remaining 27 players, 15 are currently ranked on the UMB leaderboard.

The UMB ban will not affect the 2024 World Three-Cushion Championship, which is set to be held in Binh Thuan, south-central Vietnam for the first time from September 25 to 29. 

In July this year, the Asian Confederation of Billiard Sports (ACBS) banned Vietnamese billiards officials, players, and coaches from participating in Asian and international tournaments for six months from June 13, 2024 to January 12, 2025.

The decision was made as Vietnam organized the Hanoi Open Pool Championship (previously called the Asian Open Pool Championship) in Hanoi in October last year without permission from ACBS, notwithstanding the confederation’s repeated warnings.

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