Dien Bien Provincial Stadium has long been a familiar place for people in Dien Bien Phu ward and neighboring areas to exercise every morning and afternoon.
The spacious space is the reason why this place attracts people of all ages to exercise. The stadium's "closure" has left many people disappointed.
Ms. V.K.A - a regular runner in the stadium area said: "Normally, people in many places still come here to walk and exercise, but since March - the event was held - they have locked the gates tightly, people cannot enter the stadium to practice anymore".
Speaking to Lao Dong Newspaper reporters about this issue, Mr. Pham Trung Hieu - Director of the Center for Physical Training and Sports Competition (Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dien Bien province) said that the ban on people entering free practice stadiums has been considered for a long time and officially applied since the beginning of May 2025.
According to the Center's leaders, when the stadium is open freely, many people enter, from officials, the elderly, children to even those with bad purposes.
"When it was not yet banned, the phenomenon of students losing their vehicles, helmets, and even mobile phones was quite common. Especially, when the province organizes major political events, security management is difficult" - Mr. Hieu said.
Talking to Lao Dong, an athlete at the Center for Sports Training and Competition said: "When the stadium is open freely, athletes' training faces many obstacles. People who lack awareness bring both dogs and cats into the pitch, some even ride bicycles on the pitch, which is very dangerous for athletes running at high speeds.
According to Mr. Pham Trung Hieu, the center's human resources are mainly for selecting, training professionalism, and training athletes. The security force had only one person, unable to control all the entrances and exits. Therefore, it is not possible to hire more people to clean daily on a large campus.
The Director of the Center emphasized: " Athletics is a spearhead sport of the province. Athletes when exercising, especially in speed events, need an open and absolutely safe running track. There has been a phenomenon of athletes running at high speeds colliding with people walking, affecting their psychology and performance."
Accordingly, the closure of the stadium will create a professional training environment, helping athletes feel secure in their efforts.
Mr. Hieu added that, through consulting localities, not all provincial-level stadiums are open freely.
In addition to the centers athletes, when practicing at the provincial stadium, clubs/groups must register to operate according to the prescribed hours - said the Center Director.
Previously, in 2024, the Dien Bien Provincial Stadium Repair Project was invested with 14 billion VND to serve the 70th Anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory. Since then, this 10,000-seat stadium has continued to be served for large-scale cultural and artistic events, welcoming important events of the country and Dien Bien province.
