Football Federation bigwigs face bribery scandal
Two top officials of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) have been accused by a subordinate of taking bribes from him, only a few days after he was laid off in a major downsizing.
According to local media, Nguyen Van Chuong, the former director of VFF’s Young Football Players Training Center, was dismissed along with some other employees on June 1 under a lay-off plan.
After that, Chuong revealed that VFF chairman Le Hung Dung and his deputy Tran Quoc Tuan had taken VND100 million (US$4,587) each from him.
Chuong said as soon as he heard about the lay-off plan, he asked to meet the two officials to offer them the bribes, but he still ended up being fired.
In his complaint sent to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the General Department of Sports and local press agencies, Chuong said he gave Tuan VND100 million on July 15, 2014, but in May this year Tuan gave him back the money, saying he could not help.
“Maybe the money is not enough for him,” Chuong said.
Chuong said he met Dung at the latter's house, giving him VND100 million and other gifts on August 28, 2014.
He told the media he hired a lawyer to represent him and is ready to provide evidence to support his accusation.
Meanwhile, Dung denied taking any bribe.
He said Chuong accompanied Tran Duy Long, former chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Football Federation, to his house on August 28, 2014 after he returned from Singapore for medical treatment.
He said he did not expect to see Chuong at his house. Chuong gave him a clock as a gift, but he refused to take it.
Chuong tried to leave the clock at his house and left. He said there was no money involved.
He said he would also hire a lawyer to represent him.