Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen, Vietnam's representative in the 2025 Volleyball World Championship, withdraws her participation in the competition to be held in Thailand.
Headline: Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen Withdraws from 2025 Women's Volleyball World Championship
Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen, a key member of the Vietnamese women's volleyball team, has withdrawn from the 2025 FIVB Women's Volleyball World Championship scheduled to take place in Phuket, Thailand, from August 22 to September 7. The withdrawal comes amidst rumors and media speculation, particularly from Thai sources, of a potential FIVB investigation into gender identity issues concerning Vietnamese players, including Tuyen.
Tuyen, the team's top scorer and first outside hitter, has cited personal integrity and the fairness of competition as her reasons for withdrawing. She has emphasized that her decision was made after careful consideration and with the agreement of the Vietnam Volleyball Federation (VFV) and coaching staff. Tuyen framed her withdrawal as a stand for respect and equality in sports, rather than a lack of competitive spirit.
Despite the withdrawal, the 2025 Women's Volleyball World Championship will proceed as planned. Vietnam, currently ranked 21st globally, is in Group G for the tournament alongside Poland (3rd), Germany (11th), and Kenya (23rd). The team's first match will be against Poland on August 23.
The VFV has expressed that Tuyen will always be an important member of the team and is welcomed back when ready to contribute. However, no official statement from the FIVB confirming an investigation on gender identity related to Tuyen or the Vietnamese team has been disclosed as of late August 2025.
The Thailand government has not yet announced any official investigation into the gender of Vietnamese volleyball players. Previously, the FIVB had imposed a penalty on one of Vietnam's U21 team members, leading to speculation and social media discussions in Thailand.
Thai media outlets such as Siam Sport have questioned if Tuyen's withdrawal was to avoid gender testing. However, Tuyen herself has not directly addressed these gender-related allegations.
In summary, Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen's withdrawal from the 2025 Women's Volleyball World Championship is due to her concerns over the lack of transparency and fairness in FIVB eligibility rules, as well as her protection of personal integrity. The tournament will proceed without Tuyen, with Vietnam facing a challenging group stage against top-tier opponents. The ongoing rumors of a gender controversy involving some Vietnamese volleyball players, including Tuyen, remain unconfirmed.
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