According to the International Federation of Sporting Rifles (ISSF)'s "Guidelines for Testing Rifle Equipment - Version 2026", specialized shirts and pants must have a minimum slope of 3.0 mm when tested with specialized equipment. Just lower than this threshold, the clothing may be determined to be ineligible.
This regulation aims to limit clothing from becoming a fulcrum to help shooters maintain a stable position when aiming. ISSF does not apply a tolerance of 3.0 mm.
For areas resulting in 2.9 mm or lower, the device must be calibrated and re-examined.
If only one region fails while all the remaining positions meet the standard, the shooter is not immediately eliminated but receives a warning. However, if two or more regions fail, the uniform will be assessed as not meeting the standard and the athlete may have their results canceled.
At ASIAD 20 on the morning of September 22, the above regulation caused the pair Phi Thanh Thao - Nguyen Tam Quang to lose the right to enter the final of the 10m air rifle mixed doubles.
The two shooters achieved 631.7 points, ranked 4th to win a spot in the medal round. However, the results were cancelled after the organizers checked the costumes and discovered that the area on the shirt was only 2.9 mm.
Head coach of the Vietnamese shooting team Tran Quoc Cuong said that the hardness error was very small. The shooters' uniforms were checked beforehand and no problems were found. The coaching staff then complained and paid a fee of 100 USD, but the result was still maintained.
According to the ISSF's procedure, the test does not only take place before the competition. Athletes who qualify for the finals of the rifle events continue to have to check their uniforms, guns and accessories. Therefore, the fact that the equipment previously met the standard does not guarantee similar results in the next test.
ISSF also warned that outfits that only reach 3.0 or 3.1 mm are at risk of not passing the next test because the competition process may cause the material to stretch or deform, and recommended using clothing with a safe space instead of close to the minimum threshold.
Representatives of the Vietnamese Sports Delegation said that temperature, air conditioning and environmental factors can affect the hardness of the material. The uniforms of the two shooters were purchased from China or Korea and were used at international tournaments without any problems.
Previously, on September 18, the equipment of Vietnamese athletes underwent official inspection and was confirmed to meet standards. Phi Thanh Thao competed individually for women on September 20, and Nguyen Tam Quang competed individually for men on September 21, also did not encounter similar incidents.
