How does the legal entanglement of 'Chairman Huyền' affect Vietnamese volleyball and the Duc Giang Chemical Lao Cai Club?

The prosecution of Đào Hữu Huyền, Chairman of Duc Giang Chemical Group, is sending shockwaves through Vietnamese volleyball.

This incident occurring just as the new season approaches has left experts, fans, and athletes alike deeply concerned about the potential repercussions.

According to information released by Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security, investigators have prosecuted 14 suspects related to violations at Duc Giang Chemical Group, including Mr. Đào Hữu Huyền.

The case revolves around a series of serious violations, including environmental pollution, breaches of resource exploitation regulations, and accounting irregularities leading to severe consequences.

From a sports perspective, public attention is now intensely focused on the future of the Duc Giang Chemical (HCĐG) Lao Cai women's volleyball club and how Chairman Huyền's arrest will impact Vietnamese volleyball overall.

Since taking over the club in 2016, Mr. Đào Hữu Huyền has elevated Duc Giang Chemical Club, transforming it into one of the powerhouses of Vietnamese volleyball.

With Chairman Huyền's strong commitment and investment, HCĐG Lao Cai has consistently maintained a competitive position among the top teams in Vietnamese women's volleyball, securing runner-up titles in the National Championship for five consecutive seasons from 2020 to 2024.

With his immense passion for volleyball, Mr. Đào Hữu Huyền spared no expense in recruiting high-quality foreign and domestic players for the chemical sector's women's volleyball team.

The presence of players like Polina Rahimova, Chepchumba, Tichaya Boonlert, Thai coach Padejsuk Wannachote, and domestic stars such as attackers Trần Thị Bích Thủy, Lý Thị Luyến, main attacker Trần Tú Linh, libero Lê Thị Thanh Liên… at HCĐG Lao Cai in recent years exemplifies Chairman Huyền's imprint on this club.

The compensation policy for HCĐG Lao Cai players is also considered among the best in Vietnamese volleyball. Even as salaries for many domestic stars have risen significantly, athletes at this club still enjoy highly competitive salary, bonus, and benefit packages.

They not only receive high monthly salaries but also receive substantial performance bonuses for special achievements. All of this has been consistently maintained by Chairman Huyền, providing great motivation for the entire team.

Notably, Mr. Đào Hữu Huyền once made headlines by rewarding houses to national team players like Bích Thủy and Thanh Liên, each receiving an apartment worth nearly 800 million VND.

Not only investing in HCĐG Club, Chairman Huyền also played a crucial role in sustaining and promoting the development of Vietnamese volleyball in general.

Following the success of Vietnamese sports at SEA Games 31, the owner of HCĐG awarded large bonuses to the national men's and women's volleyball teams to encourage the athletes' competitive spirit.

When the previous sponsor withdrew in 2022, Chairman Huyền's HCĐG Group became the main sponsor for the National Volleyball Championship for many consecutive years. Additionally, they supported the Vietnam Volleyball Federation (VFV) in installing the Video Challenge Eyes system, a significant step forward in enhancing the transparency and professionalism of the Vietnamese National Volleyball Championship.

The prosecution of Mr. Đào Hữu Huyền raises questions about the future of athletes playing for the HCĐG Lao Cai women's volleyball club, and many even fear this case could impact Vietnamese volleyball as a whole.

These concerns are understandable given that the financial foundation for sustaining Vietnamese volleyball has historically relied heavily on socialized resources. The legal entanglement of a major sponsor like Mr. Đào Hữu Huyền will disrupt investment flows, potentially causing ripple effects not only for HCĐG Lao Cai Club but also for the domestic league.

The HCĐG Lao Cai women's volleyball club has historically operated based on Chairman Huyền's financial resources. Vietnam's National Championship also received financial backing from the chemical group's owner when Mr. Đào Hữu Huyền served as Deputy Head of the VFV's Finance, Sponsorship, and Media Committee from 2021 to 2025.

The new season has arrived, and it is difficult to imagine HCĐG Lao Cai Club maintaining normal operations when the owner who pays salaries and bonuses to its athletes and coaches has been prosecuted. If the undesirable scenario unfolds, Vietnamese volleyball tournaments will inevitably be affected to some degree.