Vietnam’s FIFA certified referee faints during physical exam

By Hoang Nguyen June 25, 2019 | 11:47 pm PT

Referee Nguyen Hien Triet gives a red card to an Indonesia player in the final of AFF U22 Cup with Thailand, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, February 26, 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Anh Giang.

Referee Nguyen Hien Triet of the Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company passed out during a physical examination on Monday.

The Referee Committee of V. League 2019 conducted the physical test to evaluate the umpires’ quality and fitness for the second leg of the tournament in Hanoi’s Hang Day Stadium.

The refs had to take two tests including running 40 meters six times, a stamina test with 40 times running 75 meters and walking 25 meters, with breaks. The assistant refs also took the same tests, but instead of running 40 meters six times, they only had to run 30 meters five times.

Hanoi's temperatures were 26-31 degrees Celsius (79-88 degrees Fahrenheit) on Monday and were considered cool with zero heat.

But FIFA certified referee Triet fainted while doing his runs.

Triet was taken to the Saint Paul Hospital, just a kilometer away from the stadium. Doctors said he was dehydrated and lacked oxygen. He regaind consciousness shortly after and talked normally.

At the end of the tests, three other referees – Hoang Pham Cong Khanh, Le Khac Thanh and Nguyen Van Dien – failed to meet the conditions and standards. They will not be assigned to referee any game in the second leg of V. League 1 2019.

The other referees and assistant referees will continue to take classes. Their mistakes and limits will be analyzed and they will be given the opportunity to correct them on Wednesday.

V. League games in the second leg will be supported by Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology to help minimize referees’ mistakes and increase the accuracy of their decisions.