PM steps in on TV rights row

Football furore: Local television stations will be allowed to broadcast live the national football championship matches on Sunday. The Viet Nam Professional Football JSC claims the broadcasting contract between the Viet Nam Football Federation and the Audio Visual Global Company is illegal. — File Photo

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung yesterday provided direction to help settle disputes about television broadcast rights to timely reserve spectators' demand via television.

Dung asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to resolve the conflict so as to live up to spectators' expectations and then report to the Government.

The Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) signed a contract with the Audio Visual Global Company (AVG) from 2010-30 and recently released an official document stating that AVG has all broadcasting rights for the national football championship (Super League).

Meanwhile, the Viet Nam Professional Football JSC (VPF) said that the exclusive broadcast rights contract between the VFF and the AVG was illegal and television stations should be allowed to broadcast live the tournament's matches.

The VPF and organising board are required to respect that broadcasting rights now belong to the AVG, which means television stations can only broadcast matches with AVG permission.

During investigations, the Government leader allowed television stations to broadcast all matches under the management of the VPF.

After receiving PM Dung's direction, AVG sent a press release to affirm that it would strictly obey the PM's direction. — VNS

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Prime Minister directs to help settle dispute on TV broadcast rights

HA NOI -- Prime Minister (PM) Nguyen Tan Dung yesterday provided direction to help settle disputes about television broadcast rights to timely reserve spectators' demand via television.

PM Dung asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to resolve the conflict so as to live up to the spectators' expectations and then report to the Government.

The Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) signed a contract with the Audio Visual Global Company (AVG) from 2011-30 and recently released an official document stating that AVG has all broadcasting rights for the national football championship (Super League).

Meanwhile, the Viet Nam Professional Football JSC (VPF) said that the exclusive broadcast rights contract between the VFF and the AVG was illegal and television stations should be allowed to broadcast live the tournament's matches.

The VPF and organising board are required to respect that broadcasting rights now belong to the AVG, which means television stations can only broadcast matches with AVG permission.

During investigations, the Government leader allowed television stations to broadcast all matches under the management of the VPF.

After receiving PM Dung's direction, AVG sent a press release to affirm that it would strictly obey the PM's direction. -- VNS

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VFF to limit foreign players in football league

HA NOI – The Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) will limit the number of foreign players in the national football league from 2013 to help boost opportunities for local football talent, the federation's vice chairman Pham Ngoc Vien said in an interview.

Each team in the Super League (formerly known as the V-League) will be limited to recruiting three foreign players from next year, and only two of them will be able to play for their team at any given time.

Teams in the lower First Division will not be allowed to hire any foreign players from 2013.

"The limit on foreign players in the First Division championship will provide young players more opportunities to compete," Vien said. "The federation also requires teams in both the Super League and First Division to build their football training centres by 2014."

Vien, who helped draw up Viet Nam's professional football system in 2001, added that each Second Division team will have to include three young squads for competition in youth championships from 2013.

The vice chairman said teams that have yet to set up their own youth squads will receive a fine of at least VND200 million ($10,000).

"We want teams to invest more in training young talent rather than hiring foreign players or using training facilities abroad," he said.

There are over 100 foreign players competing for 28 teams in the Super League and First Division this year. -- VNS

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VFF-AVG pact on TV rights not valid: VPF

Nguyen Duc Kien, vice chairman of the Vietnam Professional Football JSC (VPF)

The newly established national football company, VPF, says it rejects the validity of 20-year-contract between the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and the An Vien Group (AVG).

Early this year, VFF and AVG signed an agreement worth VND 6 billion (US$285,000) per year that provides the latter with exclusive rights to air live the country’s top-tier Super League matches. Television stations nationwide must pay to be able to re-broadcast the matches live.

VPF was established late last month, taking over from the VFF the task of managing the country’s national football competitions. The VFF had asked the VPF and to honor and execute the contract signed with AVG. The VPF has denied this.

Speaking to Thanh Nien on Saturday, VPF vice chairman Nguyen Duc Kien said, “VPF on Saturday received a document from VFF saying that it had not asked for opinions from the clubs before signing the contract with AVG.

“Therefore, VPF has denied the validity of the contract. We [VPF] ask that AVG and VFF be responsible for clarifying the validity of the contract.”

VPF has meanwhile negotiated with other TV stations like Vietnam Television Station VTV. Kien said, "We follow three rules. Rule 1 is ensuring the ultimate right of the TV viewers. Football fans must be able to see the best matches live. As much as possible, the maximum number of matches of each round must be aired.

"Rule No.2 is that a contract can be no more than three years long; and Rule No.3 is that the value of each contract can’t be under VND10 billion per year.

Kien also said that VPF is now focusing on promotion rather than the commercial issue. He said the company has not signed a contract with VTV but has reached some agreement in accordance with legal regulations.

Asked what VPF would do if the contract between VFF and AVG was taken to court and the judge ruled the federation would have to compensate the latter in the event the company signs deals with other TV stations, Kien said he didn’t know if VFF or AVG wanted to take the problem to court.

He said the VPF has thought about it and doesn’t think it is the worst situation.

According to Kien, VPF wants the situation to be made clear and is not averse to the matter being settled in a court.

By Lan Phuong, Thanh Nien News

National coaching council supports the dismissal of German coach

Members of the National Coaching Council agreed with the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF)’s proposal to fire Coach Falko Goetz for U23 football team’s poor performance at the 26th SEAGames.

Goetz sacked

On December 28 the council held a meeting to review the aptitude of Falko Goetz, head coach of the national football team.

However, the council's Deputy Chairman, Le The Tho, along with Duong Ngoc Hung, member of the council, who strongly opposed the council's involvement in the decision did not attend the meeting.

Chairman of the council, Nguyen Sy Hien said, “We have reconsidered the Falko Goetz's style of working and recognise that he is not able to train and lead the U23 team. He has failed in terms of good strategy and made mistakes in assigning players to their proper positions. Because of this, we have decided to go along with the VFF in their decision to terminate his contract."

Hien also advocated the VFF’s plan to search for domestic coaches for U23. Among the candidates are Mai Duc Chung, Le Thuy Hai and Phan Thanh Hung.

Currently Goetz still plans to return Hanoi on January 4, after a holiday with his family in Germany. He showed some surprise upon learning of the meeting to consider his dismissal. But he has yet to comment.

Goetz signed a three-year contract with the VFF in April, 2011. If the VFF terminates his contract, Goetz would receive a considerable amount in compensation.

In related news, leader of VFF officially accepted a letter of resignation from General Secretary Tran Quoc Tuan, even though the VFF Executive Board members turned it down during a meeting on December 22.

Tuan said his decision to resign was not a bow to public pressure after the bad performance of U23 at the 26th SEAGames. He said that his replacement would be able to do a better job for the team and improve Vietnamese football.

The VFF has not yet released any information about candidates for Tuan’s position.

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