VFF officials cleared of bribery allegations
The Ministry of Public Security has cleared two top officials of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) of corruption allegations, saying it found no evidence that they received bribes during a downsizing process last year.
Earlier, Nguyen Van Chuong, former director of the Young Football Players Training Center, accused VFF chairman Le Hung Dung and deputy chairman Tran Quoc Tuan of taking money from him in exchange for job security.
Chuong said he had paid Dung and Tuan VND100 million (US$4,587) each to be able to keep his job, but at the end he was still being fired in a major downsizing.
In a complaint, Chuong said he gave Tuan the money on July 15 last year, but in May, Tuan returned the money, saying he could not help.
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| An undated photo shows Vietnam Football Federation's Chairman Le Hung Dung (L) and his deputy Tran Quoc Tuan |
Chuong said he met Dung at the latter's house on August 28 last year to give him the money and other gifts.
In his complaint, Chuong said Tran Duy Long, a former VFF chairman, had accompanied him to Dung’s house.
Long confirmed that he and Chuong did visit Dung, who he said was sick at the time.
However, Long said he only saw Chuong gift Dung some fruit and a clock, he said.
In July, Dung requested the Ministry of Public Security to probe the case.
Dung also instructed VFF’s Supervising Committee to launch an inspection, which then found he and Tuan innocent.
Police also said Dung and Tuan have the right to take legal action against Chuong for defamation, but the two officers did not show intention of doing so, said Nguyen Xuan Gu, VFF deputy chairman.