National auditors' day: learning from each other's experiences

Around 25 auditors visit dozens of galas and events each year on behalf of the Vechtsportautoriteit (Dutch Combat Sports Authority). They do so to see what is going well and what can be improved, so that together with all federations and promoters we can raise the standard of events. They gathered in Hilversum on Saturday to exchange experiences and look ahead.

A few years ago the standard of combat sports events in the Netherlands varied considerably. From very well organised and pleasant, to chaotic and grim. To change this and to ensure that all events are properly organised and take place in a good atmosphere, the sector agreed on a number of measures. To see how these agreements are put into practice, the VA has appointed a team of auditors who visit events and assess them systematically.

Enthusiasts
The round of introductions on Saturday afternoon made clear how diverse the auditors' backgrounds are: from police officers and government inspectors to self-defence trainers and entrepreneurs. But they share one characteristic: they are all combat sports enthusiasts. Recreational kickboxers, jiu-jitsu trainers, former gym owners, and above all fans who enjoy attending events.

Experiences
Looking back on the past year's audits, the auditors reported that they were received well at events, usually very properly. Sometimes a promoter or a security guard at the door was somewhat hesitant, but in most cases they had expected us to drop by at some point, and promoters and federations cooperate well. Promoters are proud to show that they have their affairs in order. Municipalities also respond positively to the audits; they clearly see the added value. In terms of content, checking financial transparency was considered the most challenging element. Often this is because every promoter organises their bookkeeping differently. That is feedback which is being used in the further development of the audit forms.

Points for improvement
Auditors turned out to need a little more knowledge about the Fightpassport, after which Farid Gamei of the VA office gave a guided tour of the system. It was noted that when auditors are present in a recognisable way, people at events sometimes appear to start behaving differently. It is a familiar phenomenon: people who know they are being watched adjust their behaviour. That is why, in addition to announced and unannounced audits, audits by mystery guests will also take place in the period ahead. The feedback to federations and promoters could be more extensive, so that they can learn as much as possible from the findings.

New measures
The Audit Team's new handbook was explained, including the new measures included this year in the 2020 Covenant with the federations. These concern improved attention to tackling inappropriate behaviour, the decision to no longer have children weigh in wearing only their underwear, the mandatory sports medical examination for competitive fighters over 40, the ban on kickboxing with MMA gloves, and ensuring that youth bouts do not take place after 7 p.m.

Common sense
Questions were raised about the degree of responsibility an auditor should take when observing irregularities. Should you intervene, or only observe? On one occasion auditors saw a hall become too hot and low in oxygen, making it hard for fighters to breathe. It was decided to urge the promoter to open the emergency exits and to post guards there to keep people from slipping in. Marcel Scholtes, the board member responsible for the audit teams, said the guideline is to use common sense. If you can prevent danger, you do so, but preferably by getting the organisation to act rather than directing traffic yourself.

Glory
Auditor Jan Wirken shared the experiences he recently gained during the audit of Glory Collision II, Rico vs. Badr, the most extensive audit carried out to date. The organisation's cooperation was excellent, he said. The safety plan was presented to our auditors beforehand, all staff briefings could be attended and the bookkeeping was shared down to the last detail. The lessons learned were discussed with the organiser afterwards, so that aspects which could be improved will indeed be better next time.

Something for you?
The Audit Team currently consists of some 25 people and is being expanded steadily. For this we are looking for people who have an affinity with the sport, but who can operate entirely independently in this world. They are not, for example, coaches, gym owners or connected to federations or promoters. Does becoming a member sound interesting to you, and do you have expertise that is relevant to this work? Women in particular are encouraged to apply. Please contact the VA at info@vechtsportautoriteit.nl