Vovinam has, at last, a World Federation in Vietnam
After the first steps made by Patrick Levet and Juan Cid Argilles, in Hanoi, in 1999, to ask officially to the Ministry Of Vietnam the foundation of a World Vovinam Federation in Vietnam, the process of building such federation was completed in 2005.
However, the Federation was NOT named WORLD FEDERATION. It was called "international Vovinam Federation" because another group was claiming the same name. Actually, in Western countries, Master Tran Nguyen Dao argued he already had a federation with the name "World Vovinam Federation". And it was true. The association had been formed in 1997 in Europe, as a wish of Master Tran Nguyen Dao's brother, Master Tran Huy Phong.
Therefore, Vietnam founded their first International Vovinam Federation, the International Vovinam Federation, in 2005. Rules and Regulations for competition wer edited.
But the other Vovinam World "federation", the one founded in the West in 1997, was not recognized by any official ministry or official sport entity, in any country. But it does not matter at all. A federation DOES NOT NEED to be recognized by any ministry to be a real federation.
Only in case subventions are needed, a federation has to be "recognized" by entities such as Olympic Commitee or Sport Ministries.
Well, Master Tran Nguyen Dao had all the rights to claim that the name "World Vovinam Federation" was already taken. But, on an international rights point of view, if the name is not registered as a property, or a brand mark, then it could be taken by Vietnam or by any other entity.
So, Vietnam founded a second Federation, in 2007, naming it "World Vovinam Federation". Another Rules and Regulations for competition was edited, and Vovinam was starting to be more and more a simple sport.
As well, the current European Vovinam Federation is composed at 90% of countries and clubs formed by the Intercontinental Vovinam Association by Patrick Levet in the 90's and until 2005. |
