Deputy Director of the Sports Authority of Viet Nam (SAV) Nguyen Hong Minh held a working session with Arnaud Pannier, Educational Cooperation Attaché at the French Embassy in Viet Nam, on September 11 in Ha Noi.
The two sides reviewed the outcomes of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation signed between the SAV and the French Embassy in February, as well as the Tripartite Cooperation Agreement between the SAV, the Viet Nam-France Friendship and Cooperation Association and the Francophone Sports Association in May 2025, while also discussing plans for upcoming activities.
According to Attaché Pannier, all cooperation works have been implemented positively and effectively, creating favorable premises for future activities.
Regarding the Viet Nam’s training camp in France this October, Attaché Pannier noted that the French Embassy would support consular procedures for Athletics and Fencing teams.
To encourage them, Ambassador Olivier Brochet will host a meeting at the embassy before their departure.
Attaché Pannier added that, alongside welcoming Vietnamese athletes and coaches for training courses, the French side also hoped to send its own coaches and athletes to Việt Nam for practice and experience exchange.
To support the development of Vietnamese sports, the Embassy of France will send three experts from the National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance (INSEP) to work in the country in the near future.
Regarding the app My Coach Pro for national coaches and athletes, Attaché Pannier said the software’s instruction was translating into Vietnamese.
Vietnamese and French representatives during their working session on September 11 in Ha Noi
It is expected to be completed on September 20 and will be officially handed over to Việt Nam by the end of the month. However, before the transfer, the French side requested feedback from Vietnamese athletes and coaches following the training courses to make timely adjustments and improvements.
During the working session, Attaché Pannier was pleased to announce that the French Embassy would award the Gold Medal for Youth, Sports and Community Involvement to powerlifter Le Van Cong in a ceremony on November 22 in Ho Chi Minh City.
It is part of a sporting event organised to inspire the younger generation to participate in the sports and physical training organized by France on the same day.
Attaché Pannier expressed his hope that, building on these achievements, sports cooperation between the two countries would not only help improve Việt Nam’s athletic performance but also inspire the next generation to engage in sports.
Agreeing with Attaché Pannier’s review, Deputy Director Minh expressed gratitude to French Ambassador Olivier Brochet, Attaché Pannier and the French Embassy in Việt Nam for their support and companionship in helping Vietnamese sports affirm its place on the world stage.
Deputy Director Minh said track-and-field and fencing athletes who would take part in the French training course in October would represent Viet Nam in the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. The track-and-field ones would also be core of Viet Nam’s sport delegation in the 20th Asian Games (ASIAD) in 2026.
He also hoped that these athletes and some outstanding ones from rowing and cycling squads would continue receiving support to practise in France in early 2026.
Deputy Director Minh thanked the French Embassy for sending three INSEP experts to support Việt Nam and expressed his hope that their collaboration with the SAV, the Viet Nam Olympic Committee, and the national sports federations and associations would deliver positive outcomes and further enhance cooperation among the three parties.
Regarding the app My Coach Pro, Deputy Director Minh said once the Vietnamese version is received, it would be distributed to coaches and athletes for use and feedback. He also expressed hope that the French Embassy would continue supporting Việt Nam in refining the software.
Thanh Ha