~ Le Viêt Nam, aujourd'hui. ~
The Vietnam News

[Year 1997]
[Year 1998]
[Year 1999]
[Year 2000]
[Year 2001]

Vietnamese losing more than their bets

HANOI - Soccer and gambling-mad Vietnamese hooked on Euro 2000 have lost more than bets when their favourite teams fail to deliver. Millions in the communist country have watched every game avidly, many at pavement cafes, despite unsociable kickoff times as late as 1.45 a.m. local.

In a cautionary note, the official media have reminded fans of one unfortunate supporter who had his prized television set stolen when he fell asleep by the roadside after a late game. And in Ho Chi Minh City in the south of the country, police confiscated 93 motorcycles and detained dozens of riders last weekend when rowdy fans went racing around town in the small hours. Football-related violence has become common in Vietnam in the past few years both on an off the pitch.

A few months ago, Vietnam Television viewers saw fans enraged at a decision chasing a referee off the pitch during a local game. In late May, a court in Ho Chi Minh City jailed two traffic policemen who beat a man to death while assigned to keep order after an international with Indonesia. Authorities associate football with numerous social ills, not least gambling, which is virtually a national pastime even though it is illegal. Local media reports said many football fans in Ho Chi Minh City have skirted this inconvenience during Euro 2000 by placing bets via the Internet. Betting has been popular even among students with little money to lose. They have instead wagered a cup of breakfast coffee or a bowl of noodles, media reports said.

A lucky few could win a lot, however. Coca-Cola Vietnam is offering three footballs each made with a kg (2.2 lb) of gold to winners of a Euro 2000 promotional contest and is expecting around 150,000 entries. "We've had literally sacks and sacks so far," said external affairs manager Robin Wilson. "It really shows the mood of enthusiasm for Euro 2000."

Reuters - June 15, 2000.