The meeting set new expectations for the bilateral cooperation in sports, especially in the context of Viet Nam's sports sector intensifying preparations for major events such as ASIAD 2026 and the 2028 Olympics.
At the beginning of the meeting, Deputy Director Nguyen Hong Minh expressed his pleasure in welcoming Ambassador Olivier Brochet for a visit and work. The Deputy Director highly appreciates the results achieved in the cooperative relationship between the two sides over the past period. The positive support from the French Embassy in general and Ambassador Olivier Brochet in particular has created significant changes, helping Vietnamese sports gradually assert their position on the international stage. The exchange and cooperation activities have been implemented extremely effectively, bearing the strong mark of the French diplomatic mission's support.
The clearest evidence of this substantial cooperation is Viet Nam's implementation of a plan to send key teams for training in France. Specifically, the Athletics team is currently on a training trip from May 15 to June 2, followed by the Shooting team from June 10 to July 2. In the near future, the Viet Nam Sports Authority also plans to continue sending the Fncing team for training. In addition, activities to develop Judo and Swimming are also being emphasized, as both sides have agreed to invite senior French experts to survey and assess the situation in Viet Nam, with the most recent being a survey trip for Swimming in Can Tho at the beginning of May. The Deputy Director hopes that with the support of French experts, Viet Namese sports will achieve even more outstanding accomplishments.
In response to the kind remarks from Deputy Director Nguyen Hong Minh, Ambassador Olivier Brochet expressed his honor in accompanying the development of Sports in Viet Nam. The ambassador was pleased with the milestones that both sides have achieved after two years of effort, laying a solid foundation for a long-term cooperation journey. Looking back at the journey of close cooperation with Vietnamese management agencies, especially with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ambassador emphasized that, thru the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, the cooperation activities of the French Embassy in Viet Nam are considered the most dynamic and diverse.
According to the Ambassador, these positive results do not simply come from will or ideas on paper, but stem from the strong commitments of both sides. The ambassador mentioned the important role of the National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance (INSEP), the Association of Francophone Sports (AFS), training centers, and French sports federations in supporting Vietnamese athletes. Ambassador Olivier Brochet hopes that this relationship will deepen thru Viet Nam's continued sending of athlete delegations for regular training, thereby strengthening sustainable ties.
At the working session, the Ambassador also candidly made important professional recommendations to build a program supporting high-performance sports in Viet Nam. Based on the survey reports of experts from INSEP and the ASF organization regarding Judo and Swimming in Can Tho, the French side pointed out practical solutions. That is the establishment of a network of specialized nutrition and psychology experts, modernizing the daily living environment of athletes thru advanced recovery and medical monitoring equipment. At the same time, French experts also proposed that Viet Nam study the establishment of the National Technical Director position, set up a high-performance sports mechanism to create a comprehensive ecosystem for athletes, and form a separate Athletes' Committee. In addition to high-performance sports, the French side also proposed expanding cooperation in the field of mass sports, especially school sports.
Receiving feedback from your side, Deputy Director Nguyen Hong Minh views the Viet Nam-France cooperation in the field of sports as one of the substantive and highly effective activities. The Deputy Director highly appreciated the report from the French experts for accurately reflecting the current state of Vietnamese sports, and fully agreed with the proposals put forward. These are truly the core weaknesses that our sports sector is striving to overcome.
On this occasion, the Deputy Director expressed deep gratitude to the French Embassy and Ambassador Olivier Brochet for providing practical competition equipment for rowing. Vietnamese sports are currently receiving significant attention and support from the government thru the implementation of groundbreaking policies.
Regarding the specific proposals from the expert delegation about the Athletes' Committee and the position of National Technical Director, Deputy Director Nguyen Hong Minh provided clear explanations for both sides to understand each other's direction. The Deputy Director also affirmed that developing school sports is an issue that Viet Namese sports have always been concerned about, with the desire to receive support from France, helping Vietnamese students have the conditions to develop their physical abilities comprehensively, thereby identifying sports talents early on from school.
Looking toward the future, the Deputy Director hopes that the French Embassy will continue to effectively support the implementation of the signed agreements. The focus will be on training activities in France during the 2026 - 2027 period, sending experienced experts to support key sports such as Judo, Athletics, Swimming, and Fencing, as well as enhancing the qualifications of Vietnamese coaches. In addition, Viet Nam also needs your support in training specialists in nutrition, physical fitness, and psychology, as well as sharing experiences on French sports law policies for reference during the process of building the legal framework of the industry.
The reception concluded with a high level of agreement from Ambassador Olivier Brochet regarding Viet Nam's proposals. Both sides expressed their determination to maintain a close cooperative relationship, turning strategic commitments into concrete actions to further enhance the positive achievements already made, and to elevate the sports sectors of both countries to new heights.
Huyen Trang