Vietnamese athletes will begin their SEA Games training camp next week although the World Petanque and Bowls Federation plans to ban petanque from the December 9-20 Games. Photo 24h.com

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese athletes remain focused on their SEA Games preparations despite petanque being banned from the upcoming regional event by the World Petanque and Bowls Federation (WPBF). The biennial Games will be hosted by Thailand from December 9 to 20.

The WPBF’s unprecedented ban follows a governance scandal allegedly involving Thailand’s national federation. In a letter dated Saturday and reported by Thai media, the WPBF named an unnamed individual who 'briefly presided over the Petanque Federation of Thailand' and was suspended for life over embezzlement, rigged elections and sexual assault. The federation insisted this person should be 'permanently excluded from all sporting activities.'

All federations and members who take part in petanque events at the 2025 SEA Games face a two-year ban from major international competitions, including the World Games and Asian Championships, until the next SEA Games in Malaysia in 2027. The decision has cast uncertainty over the sport’s future in the region.

Despite concerns, a Sports Authority of Việt Nam (SAV) official, Đoàn Tuấn Anh, said the Vietnamese team will continue its training and await the final decision from the hosts.

“Việt Nam plan to send 24 athletes, 12 men and 12 women, to the 33rd SEA Games. There are 11 categories and Việt Nam target up to two gold medals. It will be a big regret if petanque is not organised,” he said.

Anh added that the ban has so far only been reported by Thai media, and Việt Nam has not received any official notification from the SEA Games organising committee or the WPBF. The WPBF’s latest communication still permits petanque at the Games, provided it is managed by an independent committee, not the Thai federation.

As such, Việt Nam is maintaining its training schedule, starting October 15 in Hà Nội, with the hope of a resolution.

“Personally, I hope that the matter will be resolved well, especially since petanque is a strong sport and is highly valued by Thailand,” Anh said.

Ahead of the SEA Games, Vietnamese athletes will compete in the world championship in October and the Asian championship in November.

Responding to the ban, Sports Authority of Thailand governor Kongsak Yodmanee said on Tuesday the organisation would seek to 'clarify misunderstandings.' He stated that those banned by the federation were not involved in athlete selection or participation in the SEA Games, without naming names.

Thailand, a powerhouse in global petanque, leads the 2025 World Federation rankings ahead of France, where the sport originated. At the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia, Thailand topped the medal tally with six gold medals, followed by Laos and Malaysia. Việt Nam managed two silver and five bronze medals despite having world and Asian champions on their team. VNS