Lưu Tú Bảo (centre) receives an honorary WBA Asia belt for his contributions to Vietnamese boxing in October 2023 in HCM City. — Photo courtesy of Kickfit

HCM CITY — The Vietnam Boxing Federation (VBF) is preparing to convene an extraordinary congress after its president was confirmed to have been arrested in the US under an extradition request from Australia.

According to Vietnamese media and court documents cited in the US, Lưu Tú Bảo, 49, was detained in California in April 2025.

He is accused by Australian authorities of leading a transnational criminal network that attempted to smuggle large quantities of cocaine into Melbourne between 2016 and 2017. If extradited and convicted in Australia, he could face a life sentence.

The San Francisco Federal Court, presided over by Judge Thomas Hixson, is handling the case.

A hearing has been scheduled for January 29, 2026, after Australia formally submitted its extradition documents. Until then, Bảo remains in custody.

Bảo, who had left Việt Nam for the US in February citing family matters, has been unreachable to federation members since his departure.

His continued absence prompted the VBF leadership to declare that he can no longer perform his duties. The federation confirmed it will soon hold a special congress to elect a new executive committee and president.

Vietnamese sports officials said they are closely monitoring the situation.

The Vietnam Sports Authority has asked the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide official updates on Bảo’s legal status abroad.

Despite the scandal, VBF operations and national boxing tournaments have continued without major disruption, according to vice president Nguyễn Duy Hùng.

Bảo, born in 1976, has been a key figure in the development of boxing and martial arts in Việt Nam.

He was elected VBF president in October 2023 and also served as chairman of the HCM City Mixed Martial Arts Federation and CEO of Saigon Sports Club, one of the country’s earliest professional boxing gyms.

In 2023, he was awarded an honorary belt by the World Boxing Association (WBA) Asia for his contributions to the sport.

His arrest has shocked Việt Nam’s sporting community, raising concerns about the governance of professional sports federations in the country. — VNS