Talented referee Tran Dinh Thinh passed away

He passed away after fainting on the morning of August 3 while taking a physical test before the 2025-2026 Vietnamese professional football season.

In the early morning of August 4, referee Tran Dinh Thinh breathed his last after many hours of emergency care and intensive resuscitation at Hong Ngoc Hospital ( Hanoi ) at the age of 43.

His passing is a great pain, an irreparable loss for his family. The refereeing community, football and Vietnamese fans are shocked and saddened by the passing of a talented and humble referee.

Previously, referee Tran Dinh Thinh unfortunately fainted during the physical test that morning at the Hanoi Athletics Palace. The test was conducted at 5am to avoid the peak hot weather in Hanoi on August 3. However, due to trying to complete the test, referee Thinh unfortunately suffered a serious health problem.

In the endurance race, the referees had to run 10 laps around the field (equivalent to 4km). Referee Thinh showed unusual signs on the 7th lap and fainted on the field. He was immediately given first aid by the medical team arranged by the VFF to be on standby at the field and transferred to a hospital near the Hanoi Athletics Palace. He was then transferred to Bach Mai Hospital.

The referee fitness test is an annual activity, part of the training plan of VFF and VPF before each season of Vietnam professional football. To be eligible to participate in the fitness test, referees attending the training must ensure the health examination standards according to the regulations in the circular of the Ministry of Health .

Only referees who pass the physical test and professional exams as prescribed by FIFA are eligible to be assigned to work during the season. The test requires a lot of physical strength and skills and is one of the fierce challenges for professional referees not only in Vietnam but also in the world.

Before referee Tran Dinh Thinh, Vietnamese football had a similar tragic case, when referee Duong Ngoc Tan (Yen Bai province) passed away after a physical test in 2018. Referee Tan also fainted in the middle of the test and later died at Bach Mai Hospital.