LookAtVietnam – The Viet Nam Sepak Takraw Federation will officially debut its executive committee next Saturday, the federation has announced.

The sport (rattan ball kicking), which has existed in Viet Nam since 1990, is played in 15 provinces and cities with the participation of over 200 professional players and coaches. However, up until now it has not had a federation like other sports in Viet Nam.

According to head of the Sepak Takraw Department of the National Sport Administration Nguyen Xuan Hanh, the federation is a first step towards making the sport professional.

“Sepak takraw has been developing in Viet Nam for 20 years. It gained glorious victories for Viet Nam in world and Asian events. We really want to change it into a professional sport like football and volleyball,” Hanh said.

In 1997, Viet Nam nabbed a bronze medal at its Southeast Asian Games debut. Viet Nam continued to dominate the sport with one gold in the World Championship in 2000 and two golds in the SEA Games in Viet Nam in 2003.

At the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar in 2006, Viet Nam bagged two gold medals after beating the sport’s inventor, Thailand, in the women’s finals.

Two years ago, Viet Nam bagged two silver and one bronze medal at the King’s Cup World Sepak Takraw Championships in Bangkok.

At their debut at the 1st Asian Indoor Games in Thailand in 2005, the women’s hoop team grabbed a silver medal.

Sepak takraw has been included in the roster of the third Asian Indoor Games to be hosted for the first time by Viet Nam.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News