Vietnam football referee dies after collapsing during amateur match: reports

Referee Duong Hong Phat complained of chest pain while officiating a seven-a-side amateur game on an artificial pitch in a neighborhood that was previously part of old Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province and leaned against a fence before the match was stopped, witnesses said.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau, together with former Binh Duong Province, was merged into Ho Chi Minh City following an administrative reorganization in July.

Players and fellow officials attempted to assist Phat, but he collapsed within minutes and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died, according to posts shared in amateur referees' groups.

Video footage circulating on social media showed the referee clutching his chest before losing consciousness, drawing widespread attention among Vietnam's amateur football community. 

A message posted by a member of the Ho Chi Minh City amateur referees' group said medical staff and colleagues had made efforts to revive him, but he did not survive.

Phat was a familiar figure in grassroots football in Ba Ria-Vung Tau and also worked with some professional referees, though he was not a full-time official.

The incident has prompted renewed discussion among players and referees on Vietnamese football forums about health risks during amateur sports and the importance of medical preparedness at local matches.