Pune Vijetas has offered Vietnam’s best badminton player Nguyen Tien Minh US$44,000 contract to play in the Indian Badminton League (IBL) from August 14-31.
It is the most money a foreign badminton club has ever offered a Vietnamese player.
The base price at the auction in New Delhi on Monday was $25,000 for male players ranked 6th-12th. Pune Vijetas won in the bidding for 7th-ranked Minh amid fierce competition from other clubs.
Ho Chi Minh City’s Badminton Federation Vice Chairwoman Huynh Ngoc Lien said, “Tien Minh is completing the final stage of the procedures by signing a contract with the club.
“He will get half of the amount after signing the contract and the other half when the [tournament] ends,” said Huynh Ngoc Lien, vice Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City Badminton Federation.
“Pune Vijetas will also pay for other expenses of travel and accommodation for Minh at the tournament,” she added.
In addition to the cash from at IBL, Minh will still receive his VND50 million per month salary from local sponsor Becamex IDC. Early this month, Tien Minh also signed a three-year deal with Kawasaki that will pay him no less than $3,000 a month, plus cover his expenses at 10 international competitions per year.
Speaking to Thanh Nien, Minh, 30, said he was very gratified to have his talent recognized by the world of badminton.
