VietNamNet Bridge – This year Tet bonus for male football players is only VND10 million ($500). For other sports, Tet bonus is dependent on the achievements of athletes in 2010.

After defeating Hoang Anh Gia Lai in the second round of V-League 2011 last week, Binh Duong club received over VND1 billion ($50,000) of bonus, which is also includes their Tet bonus.

Doan Van Ut, general director of the Binh Duong Football JS Company said that each player will be given VND10 million. After Tet, they will have early New Year bonus.

“Tet bonus for football players is symbolic because they earn bonus after each match. Moreover, their salary is very high already,” Ut said.

Saigon Xuan Thanh Football Club, which plays at the First Division with a contingent of “stars”, has had two winning games to rank first. However, Tet bonus is not high because the salary for players is very high. Tet bonus for players is equivalent to one third of their month’s salary, with over VND15 million ($750) for captain Phuoc Tu, who earns the highest salary among Vietnamese players in the team and around $3000 for striker Kesley.

After taking the Super National Cup 2010, Hanoi T&T took VND2.5 billion of bonus. Each player received over VND100 million ($5000) so Tet bonus is only VND10-20 million ($500-1000) each.

Hoang Anh Gia Lam aims to top V-League 2011 but it lost two games consecutively and ranks at the bottom. Tet bonus, therefore, is only VND10 million ($500).

Players of other teams like Dong Thap, Dong Tam Long An and Khanh Hoa also each have VND10 million each for Tet.

For other sports, athletes earn Tet bonuses based on their achievements in 2010. Karate artist Le Bich Phuong, who won the only gold medal for Vietnam at the Asian Games 2010, earned the highest reward – VND170 million ($8500), including VND70 million ($3500) from her club.

The most outstanding athlete in Vietnam in 2010, runner Vu Thi Huong, received VND17 million ($850) from An Giang province, her home town.

Karate artist Le Bich Phuong

Runner Truong Thanh Hang, who won two silver medals at the Asian Games 2010, will have VND15 million of Tet bonuses from her club – Ninh Binh.

Bodybuilder Pham Van Mach, who won a world gold medal last year, received VND10 million from An Giang province.

This year volleyball clubs made a breakthrough in Tet bonuses. Some players earned several USD of Tet bonuses. For example Ira or Le Kim Nhung (Russian Vietnamese) earned $4000 from Vietsovpetro Club. Duc Long Military Zone 5 club granted over VND200 million dong worth of bonuses to the 12-member team. One Thai player earned $3000.

Female weightlifter Nguyen Thi Thiet, who won three gold medals and broke the national record at the 6^th National Sports Games 2010, received the highest Tet bonus. On January 25, an estate firm presented Thiet an apartment worth VND1 billion ($50,000).

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