SLNA clarifies controversy over age fraud allegations in the National U19 Championship

Song Lam Nghe An Club acknowledges that the age documentation of their youth player Thai Ba Bao Hoang was incorrect by 2 years, after his name surfaced in the incident where 5 U19 Hoai Duc players were sanctioned by VFF for “age cheating.”

According to the statement from the General Director of Song Lam Nghe An (SLNA), Ho Le Duc told Tuoi Tre newspaper that the Nghệ An team has not terminated the contract but is currently loaning the player to U19 Hoai Duc. The “age discrepancy” issue was discovered by the club during a file review in cooperation with relevant authorities.

This information attracted attention because Thai Ba Bao Hoang had been a standout in the national youth football system. At the 2024 National U13 Finals, U13 SLNA won the championship after a 4-0 victory over U13 Hanoi in the final. Individually, Thai Ba Bao Hoang was voted the tournament’s best player and, along with some SLNA teammates, was included in the best XI.

Following their championship, the U13 SLNA team and outstanding individuals received certificates of merit from Nghe An province; the club was awarded a prize of 468 million VND. Thai Ba Bao Hoang also won the U11 championship in 2022 with SLNA and was named the tournament’s best player.

Regarding the cause of the age discrepancy, SLNA stated that it resulted from a wide-ranging file review following previous age fraud scandals in youth teams. Mr. Ho Le Duc said that after the age fraud suspicions and disciplinary actions related to the U11 team, SLNA cooperated with Nghe An provincial police to review the records of 190 young athletes currently trained by the club.

The Nghệ An club also described their selection process. Players undergo local screening before entering the academy; upon acceptance, families provide identity documents, identification codes, and related paperwork.

“Families are responsible for their children’s age records. During the review, we found some cases of age mismatch, including Thai Ba Bao Hoang. Since this player has good technique and football skills, we retained him for training and placed him in the age-appropriate team,”Mr. Duc said.

Earlier in 2024, when facing age fraud allegations in the U11 category, SLNA issued a statement emphasizing the “objective and transparent” selection process, also stating the club relies on documentation and legal papers and trusts the verification work of VFF as well as the tournament organizers..

SLNA’s admission of a “2-year age discrepancy” for a player who once earned the highest individual honor in the national U13 tournament is therefore a notable detail, not only affecting Thai Ba Bao Hoang’s personal case but also adding pressure on the monitoring of player records and eligibility in youth competitions—where even a small error can alter competitive balance and fairness.