V-League's Violent Pitch Nightmare: When Referees Become the Center of Controversy

Vietnamese football is going through a concerning period. Within less than a month, numerous violent plays have occurred consecutively in the V-League, prompting experts and fans to raise serious questions about on-pitch safety and the competence of the refereeing team. More notably, missed penalty decisions by referees have turned them from law enforcers into protagonists in each controversy. On September 20, 2026, the V-League 2026-2027 witnessed two notable incidents in the match between Dong Nai FC and Hanoi Police (CAHN) FC. In the 34th minute, defender Le Van Son (Dong Nai) unexpectedly elbowed striker Nguyen Dinh Bac (CAHN). Minutes later, center-back Huynh Tan Sinh from the same Dong Nai club consecutively committed two dangerous late tackles on Dinh Bac's leg from behind. Both situations occurred in the same match, creating a shameful image for the league. Two days after the Dong Nai incident, the V-League continued to be shaken by dangerous plays at Round 2. Defender Doan Van Hau (CAHN) made a tackle that broke midfielder Doan Ngoc Tan's leg (The Cong Viettel FC). Simultaneously, foreign player Ezequiel Santos Da Silva of Nam Dinh FC stomped on striker Vo Huu Viet Hoang's stomach (SHB Da Nang). These were two serious injuries occurring in the same round, sparking widespread concern about player safety on the pitch. Following these consecutive incidents, Vietnam Football Company (VPF) in coordination with Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) proactively met directly with the VFF Referee Committee to discuss solutions. The meeting took place amid intense public scrutiny, with the V-League's image at serious risk of being tarnished. At the meeting, representatives from VFF, VPF and the V-League Organizing Committee emphasized that referees must "enforce the rules correctly," maintain discipline and prevent violent conduct. The phrase "enforce the rules correctly" sounds simple but hides an uncomfortable reality: many referees have missed fouls and failed to issue appropriate cards in situations that clearly warranted strict punishment. The Dong Nai vs CAHN match on September 20 serves as a textbook example of this problem. Referee Le Vu Linh officiated this match. In the situation where center-back Huynh Tan Sinh made a professional foul on Dinh Bac, Le Vu Linh only issued a yellow card. However, it was the second consecutive dangerous tackle Tan Sinh committed against Dinh Bac in the same match. The public questioned: why did a repeated dangerous foul in the same match only receive a yellow card? Speaking with Dan Tri reporters, former VFF Deputy Chairman for Technical Affairs and former VFF Referee Committee Head Duong Vu Lam directly pointed out the error: "Referee Le Vu Linh missed the card in this incident. Huynh Tan Sinh's professional foul was too obvious, but he did not receive a red card." Lam further raised a deeper issue regarding the VAR team's role in this situation. The VAR team for the match consisted of referees Vo Hoai Thuong and Nguyen Thanh Son. According to Lam, it must be clarified whether the VAR team advised main referee Le Vu Linh on issuing a red card or not. "If the VAR team advised the main referee but was overruled by the main referee, then the VAR team had completed its duty. Conversely, if the VAR team did not advise the main referee in this clearly obvious professional foul situation, the VAR referees must also be penalized," the former Referee Committee Head emphasized. This is not the first time Duong Vu Lam has spoken out about V-League refereeing quality. With many years of experience in the highest level of Vietnamese football, Lam understands well the pressure referees face every matchday. However, he also stressed that professional errors in serious situations need fair treatment, regardless of position. Regarding referee discipline, Lam revealed a practice rarely known to the public: "Disciplinary decisions for referees are usually not widely publicized. But by watching the referee list in subsequent matchdays, you can tell whether the relevant referees have been suspended or not. If they are not assigned to adjacent matchdays, the high probability is that they are being disciplined." This information reveals that the VFF's internal disciplinary system operates in a not entirely transparent manner with the public. Many experts believe this is a weakness that needs improvement, as transparency in referee disciplinary handling is the best way to regain trust from clubs and fans. From the perspective of a journalist specializing in transfer market and tactical analysis, it is noteworthy that pitch violence not only affects the league's image but also directly impacts players' transfer values. A player seriously injured from a violent tackle may need 6 months to over a year to fully recover, while transfer windows occur only twice a year. This means one dangerous tackle can completely destroy a young player's career development opportunity. Statistics from top Asian leagues show an average of 12-15 serious injury-causing incidents per season at the professional level. The V-League is trending toward approaching this number after just a few opening rounds, a alarming signal. It must be acknowledged that V-League referees are facing double pressure. On one side is the demand for quick, accurate decisions in an increasingly fast-paced game. On the other is close scrutiny from public opinion, social media and pressure from powerful clubs. However, in professional football, difficulty is not an excuse for missing red cards in obvious situations. The new V-League season has just started a few rounds but has already revealed the first cracks in the on-pitch safety system and refereeing competence. VPF, VFF and the Referee Committee need to act more decisively, not just through dialogue meetings but through specific and transparent disciplinary decisions. Because when fans' and players' trust in refereeing fairness erodes, that is the greatest threat to the league's future.