Nobody can play sports if his belly is empty, particularly professional sportsmen. But this has only been resolved since the beginning of this year in Vietnam.

High jumper Bui Thi Nhung.

Under the new nutrition policy for elite sportsmen and coaches, athletes and coaches of national squads will have VND120,000 ($7) for cooking per person per day as of January 1, 2009. Members of young national teams will have VND90,000 ($5.2) for food per day. Members of selected sports teams of provinces will receive VND50,000-90,000 per day.

Members of national teams will have VND200,000 ($11.7) for food per day while they are practicing for regional, continental and international sports events.

The new policy has solved the “hunger” of athletes while prices for food are rising robustly. Last year, around 80 athletes who participated in the Beijing Olympics enjoyed a special policy (VND100,000-150,000 for food/person/day), the others were paid VND45,000-VND60,000 per day. It was said that athletes would have gone hungry without this money.

While practicing for the Southeast Asian Rowing Championships 2008, members of the national rowing and canoeing teams had to pay for food themselves. Low pay for food was a big worry of coaches and athletes in 2008.

Since the new policy has taken effect, the quality of meals at national sports training centres has improved. With VND120,000 for three meals per day, cuisine has been diversified.

Yet, many coaches still dream of a day when sportsmen will have meals that meet appropriate scientific nutrition standards which are suitable to each type of sports.

While national sports centres can’t yet do that, sportsmen can only simply escape from hunger.

(Source: TT&VH)