Chinese expert Huang Gouhui (right) and swimmer Nguyễn Huy Hoàng. Photo nld.com.vn

HÀ NỘI – The National Sports Administration is applying for permission from authorities to allow important foreign experts and coaches to return to Việt Nam to work.

The administration said it has gathered a list of foreign experts and urgent and important cases to be given priority to apply for permission to return to work in Việt Nam as soon as possible.

If allowed by the likes of the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health and the People's Committees of the provinces of entry, foreign experts will have to be quarantined for two weeks as part of the national efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Nguyễn Hải Đường, head of the International Co-operation Department of the National Sports Administration, said one of the requirements for foreign experts entering Việt Nam is to have a negative coronavirus test.

While Chinese coaches can enter the country by road, as most international air routes to Việt Nam are postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, other foreign experts must wait for flights to reopen.

“We are carrying out procedures, sending dispatches to the northern border provinces which have borders with China to create conditions for Chinese experts in swimming, table tennis and archery to come to Việt Nam. With Australian coach Joseph Donnelly in boat racing we will register for him to return Việt Nam if there are humanitarian flights from Australia to Việt Nam, because flights from Australia to Việt Nam are not currently available,” said Đường.

Athletes need experts

For the past half-year, Chinese expert Huang Gouhui who trains top swimmer Nguyễn Huy Hoàng has had to work online.

Huang has been tasked with raising the level of the swimming team for the Tokyo Olympics and improving the performance of Hoàng in particular.

Huang is one of the National Sports Administration's top priorities for returning.

Meanwhile, Chinese expert Yu Zhiguo, who signed a contract with the Vietnamese table tennis in the middle of last year, helped Việt Nam take a Southeast AsianGames 30 gold medal in the men’s doubles.

Last December, Yu left Việt Nam for a holiday with his family in China. He was meant to return on February 15 but because of the pandemic, he remains in Shenzhen City to this day.

Phan Anh Tuấn, head of the table tennis section of the National Sports Administration, said if there are no flights, Yu will return to Việt Nam by road through a northern border gate.

The Vietnamese table tennis team is planning to convene on July 12 to prepare for the World Table Tennis Championship in September and the Southeast Asian Championship in October.

In other news, the National Sports Administration has held a meeting to prepare for the upcoming session of the Southeast Asian Games Federation (SEAGF).

The SEAGF session is to make preparations for the SEA Games, as Việt Nam will be the host of its 31st edition, slated for November next year in Hà Nội.

Speaking at the event, General Director Vương Bích Thắng said Việt Nam has brought the COVID-19 pandemic under control and curbed the spread of the disease in the community, but while quarantine measures stay in place, inviting delegates from other Southeast Asian nations to the session is not feasible.

As a result, the session is set to be held online on July 21-22.

The virtual session is expected to see the participation of about 200 delegates. – VNS