On the morning of August 3, during a physical test for referees and professional assistant referees organized by the Vietnam Football Federation, referee Tran Dinh Thinh suddenly fainted while completing the final round.
Despite timely emergency care and taking him to the hospital, he did not survive and breathed his last at 2:00 a.m. on August 4, at the age of 43.
According to regulations, physical testing is a mandatory content to assess the abilities of referees before each season. All must have a health certificate before taking the official test.
This year, the Organizing Committee has arranged 4 ambulances to ensure maximum safety. However, the incident occurred in an unexpected situation, causing the rescue work to fail.
Mr. Tran Dinh Thinh, born in 1982 in Dong Nai, is one of the experienced referees of Vietnamese football. He received the titles of "Co dong" in the 2023-2024 season and "Co bac" in the 2024-2025 season - valuable recognition for his impartiality and professionalism in the horn-playing profession.
The sudden passing of referee Tran Dinh Thinh is not only a great pain for his family and relatives, but also a great loss for Vietnamese football.
