Vietnamese sports are limited to achieving high results at the Southeast Asian Games and are lagging behind stronger competitors in Asia and globally.

While there have been some advancements in recent years, its results at major events such as the Olympics and Asian Games remain modest.

At the Olympics, Vietnam’s performance has been unstable and declining. 

At the 2012 London Olympics, the country had 18 athletes qualifying, earning one bronze medal in weightlifting. 

The 2016 Rio Olympics saw 23 athletes participate, securing one gold and one silver in shooting, thanks to shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh. 

However, at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics, Vietnam sent just 18 and 16 athletes, respectively, with no medals obtained. 

The situation at the Asian Games has been similar. 

In recent editions, Vietnam’s results included one gold in 2014, four golds in 2018, and three golds in the 2022 Asian Games, which was held in 2023 due to COVID-19. 

Despite consistent podium finishes at the Southeast Asian Games, Vietnam typically ranks in the lower half at the Asian Games and Olympics, usually finishing fifth or sixth in the region.

The main reason behind this gap is the lack of a national program to develop elite athletes, particularly in sports that are key to Olympic and Asian Games success. 

For example, two of Vietnam’s four gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games came from silat, an Indonesian martial art, and it was dropped from the program at the 2022 Asian Games. 

In that edition, Vietnam secured 27 medals, including three golds, ranking 21st out of 45 Asian countries and territories.

At the Olympics, qualifying is already a significant hurdle, let alone winning medals.

Resource challenges

Currently, Vietnam has about 22,000 athletes across various levels.

The country’s ability to produce elite athletes is hindered by several factors, including the selection process, investment, and athlete compensation.

A top athlete in Vietnam receives an average salary of just VND7 million (US$273) per month, with minimal benefits. 

Even an Olympic or Asian Games gold medalist receives the same pay, and the nutrition provided is often inadequate.

This insufficient pay does not motivate athletes to push for higher achievements. 

Coaching standards remain a challenge. 

The salaries for foreign experts in Vietnam are typically between $3,000 and $4,000 per month, making it difficult to attract high-caliber professionals. 

Only one foreign expert, Park Chung Gun, a South Korean shooting coach, earns $6,000 per month. 

Given these financial limitations, Vietnam struggles to hire top-tier coaches for its national teams.

The sports ministry estimates that at least $6,000 to $8,000 per month is necessary to hire a competent foreign expert. 

Currently, at least 35-40 experts are needed to improve Vietnam’s sports performance.

Meanwhile, some sports face practical challenges, such as a shortage of equipment. 

Archers in the country can only shoot 200-300 arrows per day, compared to 400-500 by their counterparts in South Korea. 

The shooting federation receives only VND3.3 billion ($128,700) per year for training and international competitions, far below the VND10-12 billion ($390,000-$468,000) needed.

Fencing athletes also frequently lack standard equipment.

A 20-year plan

The development program for key sports in preparation for the 2026-2046 Olympic and Asian Games, which is being built by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, aims to address these challenges. 

The program, expected to be approved by the government this year for nationwide implementation, seeks to maintain Vietnam’s position in the top three at the Southeast Asian Games and top 20 at the Asian Games between 2025 and 2030. 

The goal is to secure five to seven gold medals at the Asian Games and a medal at the Olympics or Paralympics, with football targeting a top-10 spot in Asia for the men’s team and a top-8 spot for the women’s team.

The program also proposes selecting around 350-400 athletes annually for the national teams, with a focus on investing in the training of 175-180 young, outstanding athletes in 17 key sports, including athletics, shooting, archery, fencing, weightlifting, boxing, gymnastics, cycling, taekwondo, wrestling, judo, karate, wushu, rowing, swimming, badminton, and sepaktakraw.

The plan aims to consistently maintain a top-2 position at the Southeast Asian Games, top 15 at the Asian Games, and top 50 at the Olympics by 2031-2046. 

The men’s and women’s football teams aim for a top-8 spot in Asia and World Cup qualification during this period.

In the plan, Vietnam will host the Asian Games in 2038.

The program also focuses on enhancing the training of young athletes, identifying and nurturing potential talents, and sending athletes abroad for training and international competitions. 

Notably, the scheme also includes athletes who are not Vietnamese citizens but have the potential to gain citizenship and contribute to the national team.

The Vietnam Sports Administration plans to hold a workshop on Friday to gather input from experts and scientists on the program. 

The results of the workshop will be presented to the government for approval.

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