The World Billiards Sports Federation (WCBS) has suspended the Vietnam Billiards and Snooker Federation (VBSF) for one year, but players will not be affected.
The restriction, effective from 16 October 2024, prohibits VBSF from organising international events or having its authorities involved in international activities, including billiards, snooker and carom competitions.
The suspension comes after VBSF committed violations related to the management and development of billiards in Vietnam, involving the organisation of unnoticed international competitions in the country, including the Hanoi Open billiards tournament as part of Matchroom’s World Nineball Visit (WNT), a direct competition of the World Billiards Association (WPA), the federation said.
The Hanoi Open Swimming Tournament will be held for the first time in October 2023 and the next in October 2024.
Another less-noticed event held in Vietnam is the Hanoi Open three-table tournament, coordinated by the Professional Billiards Association (PBA), the direct tournament of the United Billiards Union (UMB). This tournament will take place in August 2024.
Although the VBSF does not directly coordinate these competitions, it is still considered the responsible representative of WCBS in Vietnam.
WCBS has issued three regular warnings to the Vietnam Olympic Advisory Group in the spring, May and July regarding this issue.
Previously, VBSF faced a six-month suspension from the Asian Billiards Federation (ACBS), International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) and WPA, from July 13, 2024 to January 12, 2025 for a similar reason. As a result, the Ho Chi Minh City Billiards and Snooker Foundation (HBSF) worked directly with the WPA to arrange the 2024 Ho Chi Minh City Open Billiards and Snooker Championship, without the approval of VBSF.
Despite the suspension, WCBS explained that, together with its member entities, WCBS has the right to coordinate global events in Vietnam without the input of VBSF.
“Vietnam remains an important country for billiards,” WCBS stated.
Vietnamese athletes are not subject to general restrictions from global events, including multi-sport competitions such as the Oceania Games, Asian Indoor Games and World Games. In all cases, athletes participating in competitions not sanctioned by the WCBS face actual sanctions.
UMB has imposed a one-year boycott, effective August 27, 2024, on 27 Vietnamese athletes participating in the Hanoi Open triathlon event. In addition, 87 players who participated in the Hanoi Open billiards event have been banned by the WPA for a considerable period of time, effective from 16 October 2024.
Established in 2021 and set to begin operations in 2022, the VBSF has seen rapid growth in Vietnamese billiards, particularly in three-a-side and pool. However, it currently appears unable to consolidate its role in linking neighboring tournaments and aligning interests between rival global billiards organizations, such as the WPA-Matchroom and the UMB-PBA, as all of them are rapidly expanding in Vietnam.
On 21 October, VBSF agents met with the Vietnam Olympic Support Board to review arrangements after dealing with multiple losses. The two sides are currently working out what is going on, and there needs to be clear legal reference points and guidance from state institutions. Therefore, they intend to come up with a legal system to resolve similar difficulties in the future.
Responding to VnExpress on Wednesday, a VBSF delegate expressed that they intend to send a reasonable letter to the Vietnam Olympic Committee and WCBS, trying to get the suspension lifted or reduced.