The ban on all Vietnamese billiard players is lifted…

Previously, in July 2024, the Asian Billiards Sports Association (ACBS) banned all officials, athletes, and coaches of VBSF from participating in international activities and tournaments managed/organized by ACBS for 6 months (until January 12, 2025). The reason is said to be because Vietnam organized the Hanoi Open Pool Championship 2023 (owned by Matchroom, an organization opposed to ACBS and the World Pool Association - WPA) and intended to continue organizing the Hanoi Open Pool Championship 2024 (which just ended on October 13).

In the latest ban, WCBS (the organization that was considered the official when it was founded, managing all types of billiards in the world) "suspended VBSF for 1 year, starting from October 16, 2024". VBSF will not be allowed to organize any international billiards events, from carom, snooker and pool. In addition, VBSF officials and managers will not be allowed to participate in any billiards events, including sports events and congresses (such as SEA Games, ASIAD, ...).

It is known that ACBS is under WCBS. Therefore, with the new ban from WCBS, the 6-month suspension of all Vietnamese players from ACBS has been lifted. That is, only VBSF and VBSF officials/managers will be punished, while "Vietnamese players will be invited and allowed to participate in all billiards events, including sports festivals".

With the VBSF being banned for 1 year (until October 16, 2025), it is likely that the 3-cushion carom billiards World Cup in Ho Chi Minh City (usually in May every year) will also be affected, as this tournament is organized by the World Carom Billiards Federation (UMB) in coordination with the VBSF. It is known that previously, the 3-cushion carom billiards World Cup in Ho Chi Minh City was organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Billiards & Snooker Federation (HBSF) and UMB.

But…

Although the ban on all Vietnamese players has been lifted, the ban previously imposed by the World Carom Billiards Federation (UMB, also part of WCBS) and the WPA may still be in effect. Specifically, 87 pool players were recently banned by the WPA for 6 months (from October 14, 2024), unable to participate in pool tournaments organized by the WPA (or WPA members: for example, ACBS or VBSF). The reason is that these players participated in the Hanoi Open Pool Championship 2024, a tournament not licensed by the WPA.

Meanwhile, UMB has banned 27 Vietnamese 3-cushion carom players from August 27, 2024 to August 27, 2025. These players will not be allowed to participate in tournaments organized by UMB (or UMB members: such as VBSF...). The reason is that these 27 players participated in the 2024 PBA Hanoi Open 3-cushion carom tournament (belonging to PBA, an organization opposed to UMB). Previously, many famous Vietnamese 3-cushion carom players such as Ngo Dinh Nai, Ma Minh Cam, Nguyen Quoc Nguyen, Nguyen Duc Anh Chien were also banned by UMB for going to Korea to compete for PBA. But in the 3-cushion carom billiards community, choosing to compete for PBA and being banned by UMB has become familiar, as players accept the game.