V-League Faces Violence Resurgence: When Referees Become the Center of Controversy

The match between Dong Nai FC and Hanoi Police (CAHN) on September 20 has left unwanted stains on V-League 2026-2027 pitches. Two consecutive violent acts targeting CAHN striker Nguyen Dinh Bac have prompted experts and fans to question player safety and the competence of match referees. The first incident occurred when defender Le Van Son (Dong Nai FC) elbowed Bac in the face. Immediately after, central defender Huynh Tan Sinh from the same Southern province club continued with brutal fouls, repeatedly kicking Bac from behind. Both situations unfolded in the tense atmosphere of a crucial match. More concerning, these ugly plays are not isolated incidents. Just days earlier, Round 2 of V-League 2026-2027 witnessed two other serious incidents. Central defender Doan Van Hau (CAHN) made a challenge causing midfielder Doan Ngoc Tan (The Cong Viettel) to suffer a broken leg, while foreign player Ezeqiuel Santos Da Silva (Nam Dinh) stomped on the stomach of Vo Huu Viet Hoang (SHB Da Nang). Together, they form a chain of violence seriously threatening Vietnam's top football league image. Following the incidents, representatives of the competition organizer, VPF and VFF held a direct meeting with the VFF Refereeing Committee. The meeting focused on one core requirement: referees must "enforce the rules correctly," maintain league discipline and thoroughly prevent brutal acts on the pitch. The phrase "enforce the rules correctly" sounds simple but contains the anger of Vietnamese football administrators. It means the persistent phenomenon of missed fouls and missed cards — a chronic disease deeply rooted in V-League history across many seasons — must no longer be tolerated. Referee Le Vu Linh is the one who made the typical mistake in the Dong Nai FC vs CAHN match. In the situation where central defender Huynh Tan Sinh "abandoned the ball to kick a person" clearly targeting Bac, Le Vu Linh only showed a yellow card instead of a direct red. What's worth noting, Sinh committed this "kicking from behind" action twice without receiving appropriate disciplinary action. Speaking with Dan Tri reporters, former VFF Vice President in charge of professional affairs and former VFF Refereeing Committee Head Duong Vu Lam offered an in-depth analysis of the incident. "Referee Le Vu Linh missed the card in this situation. Huynh Tan Sinh's act of abandoning the ball to kick a person was too obvious but he didn't receive a red card. That was a serious professional mistake," Lam emphasized. The former VFF professional VP also gave tough opinions on the responsibilities of involved parties. "If they've imposed post-match punishment and suspended Sinh for this foul, then referee Le Vu Linh must also be suspended similarly. Additionally, the VAR team's responsibility must be clarified. If the VAR team consisting of Vo Hoai Thuong and Nguyen Thanh Son advised the main referee but were overruled, then the VAR team completed their duty. Conversely, if the VAR team did not advise main referee Le Vu Linh about issuing a red card for the just-mentioned foul, then the VAR referees must also face disciplinary action." This is not the first time Duong Vu Lam has spoken out about refereeing inadequacies. With many years of experience as VFF Refereeing Committee Head, Lam understands well how this system operates and its inherent loopholes in match management. Regarding referee disciplinary actions, Lam revealed important information: "Normally, specific disciplinary sanctions for referees will not be publicly announced through media channels. But just observe the referee list in subsequent match rounds to know whether the relevant referees have been suspended or not. If they are not assigned to matches immediately following the just-concluded round, the high probability is that they are being disciplined." The "monitoring the assignment list" method that Lam mentioned is actually how Vietnamese sports experts typically predict internal VFF disciplinary decisions. It reflects a reality: transparency in refereeing disciplinary work still needs improvement. Returning to Huynh Tan Sinh's case, according to the Laws of the Game Article 17 (Offences related to match officials), the act of "playing in a dangerous manner connected with the possibility of injury" can be penalized from yellow to red card depending on severity. However, when kicking from behind targeting an opponent's leg intentionally and repeatedly, that is clearly unsporting behavior demonstrating hostility, sufficient for the referee to issue a direct red card under Law 12. In V-League history, violent acts have left severe consequences. Dinh Hong Son's broken leg in 2026, Nguyen Trong Hoang's stomping incident in 2026, or Vo Xuan Can's assault on a referee in 2026 are all stains difficult to erase from fans' memories. Each time violence resurfaces, V-League faces the risk of losing public trust and sponsor confidence. With VPF and VFF taking strong action by directly meeting the Refereeing Committee, hope remains that disciplinary decisions will be made appropriately and correctly. But more importantly, those must be public, transparent decisions — so that players, clubs and fans all see that fair rules are not empty words on paper.