Vietnam’s track and field queen Truong Thanh Hang, the Asian and SEA Games 800m and 1,500m champion, with her mother outside Tuesday’s meeting

Vietnam’s track and field queen Truong Thanh Hang said Tuesday she has lost faith in the Ho Chi Minh City Track and Field Federation and doesn’t want to sign another contract with them.

The Asian and Southeast Asian 800m and 1,500m champion, who Xa Luan newspaper said hasn’t been paid since October 2008, met with the Federation Tuesday.

Hang, who attended the meeting with her mother, said she was disappointed with the Federation’s offer as it only provided temporary security and wanted to sign a contract that would guarantee better money and employment in the future.

She said she could be interested in signing a contract with the HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which was also represented at the meeting, because she would prefer to be an employee of the city than the Federation, which is a social association.

There were rumors she could leave HCMC, possibly for a more lucrative contract in Da Nang.

Hang not convinced

At Tuesday’s meeting the municipal department and federation both vied to keep golden girl Hang in HCMC but she was not convinced by their offers.

A representative from the HCMC Track and Field Federation Nguyen Trung Hinh said, “The municipal track and field federation has found a sponsor who has promised to provide Hang VND10 million (US$574) a month from the beginning of this year and the federation will sign a five-year contract with Hang so she will not have any financial concerns and can focus on training.”

Hinh added the agency would provide financial support for Hang to take a university course.

The city Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Deputy Director Pham Quang Ban said, “The department will verify the contract between Hang and the Track and Field Federation.”

Ban suggested Hang should take a course in general education so that the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism could arrange for her to work at An Phuoc Textile Company after she ends her athletic career.

Ban also said the department would have another meeting with Hang and her mother to find a way to support her financially every month.

After hearing those statements, Hang said, “During the time I trained at the National Sports Training Center 3, nobody told me about my pay being cut or why. I don’t want to be so badly treated again.”

“I have long wanted to sign a contract with the city Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism rather than with the Track and Field Federation. I want to be a member of the city’s Department so I can have a secure future and can devote my athletic career to the city and try to become an instructor,” Hang said.

Speaking to Thanh Nien, Hang said she doesn’t want to sign a contract with the federation because she doesn’t have confidence in their promises.

“Any athlete with a high level of achievement wants to have a stable career. Only a government agency can ensure a secure future for me, so that I can focus on training for this year’s 25th SEA Games in Laos and the 2010 Asiad in Guangzhou, China,” Hang said.

After the meeting, Hang received an SMS message from Hinh saying the city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism had agreed to provide financial support of 2.7 million a month with a 3 month lump salary payment for the first three months of the year.

“I don’t like that because it is just an allowance and it is very temporary. I want something secure,” Hang said.

Da Nang City option

According to a source close to Hang, there are at least four other alternatives for the running champion: Ninh Binh Province, Da Nang and Can Tho cities and the Military want Hang to compete for them with a minimum salary of VND15 million ($860) a month along with other benefits.

Another source said the central city of Da Nang has offered her VND20 million a month and an opportunity to be a government worker.

Hang said, “My family wants me to compete for Da Nang City because I have been training there and I have gotten used to living in the central city.

“I don’t really want to leave HCMC because they could create a good opportunity for me if they wanted to; but after today’s meeting, I feel disappointed. I will have to make a decision about my future soon.”

Reported by Quang Tuyen