Dutch Martial Arts Federation presented: ambitious board wants to unite the sector

The Nederlandse Vechtsportbond (Dutch Martial Arts Federation, NVB) was presented today at Topsportcentrum Rotterdam. The new board, whose best-known faces include kickboxing icon Sem Schilt and member of the Dutch House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) Peter Kwint, set out its first ambitions: serious Dutch national championships in kickboxing, muaythai and MMA, and reaching more young people.

The NVB is the new home for all athletes, gym owners, officials and fans of the combat sports kickboxing, muaythai and mixed martial arts. It has been founded at the request of the sector. Sports umbrella organisation NOC*NSF supported its establishment. Marc van den Tweel, general director of NOC*NSF: “Until now, organisational fragmentation meant that no single combat sports federation was a member of NOC*NSF, as a result of which combat sports received fewer resources and less support than other sports. That is regrettable for amateurs and professionals alike. This federation is a lasting enrichment of the sports landscape. We therefore hope that the members of NOC*NSF will soon agree to its affiliation with the umbrella organisation.”

NOC*NSF general director Marc van den Tweel and NVB chair Peter Kwint unveil the name and logo of the Nederlandse Vechtsportbond

Board
Along with the name and logo of the NVB, the first four board members were also presented. One notable name is that of chair Peter Kwint. The colourful member of the Dutch House of Representatives is a recreational kickboxer and served for years on the board of the Vechtsportautoriteit (Dutch Combat Sports Authority). “I have followed the development of combat sports closely over the past ten years and I see plenty of opportunities for growth, both in quality and in the number of participants and events. A great many people are already working enthusiastically to get everyone involved in the sport and to organise competitions. If we can join all those forces, we will take major steps forward, of that I am convinced.”

Alongside Kwint, Sem Schilt is also a familiar name, world famous in the combat sports world. As a kickboxer he reached the very top as K-1 champion and Glory Grand Slam winner. As an MMA fighter he competed for the American promotion UFC and the Japanese Pride. In recent years he has focused among other things on teaching at his own gym. “Throughout my career I have seen that combat sports athletes had to figure everything out for themselves. A good federation can mean a great deal for athletes. But also for gym owners, who now gain a strong representative as well. I am very much looking forward to contributing to that.”

Giliam Boogerd will join the board as treasurer. He currently works at NOC*NSF as programme manager for club support and has a background in the financial and banking sector. He has also practised combat sports for almost his entire life. The fourth member is lawyer Alex Prascevic, an attorney by profession. He is a recreational kickboxer and, as a combat sports enthusiast, was also active for the Mixfight platform.

Two board members represent affiliated federations with IOC recognition. Dr Hagen Biermann takes a seat on the board on behalf of kickboxing organisation WAKO Nederland, and Ischa van Emmerik represents the muaythai organisation MON.

Ambitions
At the presentation, the new board set out its first ambitions. “We want combat sports to be better structured,” said Sem Schilt, “with a well-considered youth policy, for example. How do you give young people an accessible way in? How do you make sure they keep enjoying the sport? How do you connect with physical education in schools? How do you guide talented athletes? Combat sports must be developed as a fully fledged grassroots sport. We have to lay a solid foundation for the Netherlands as a combat sports country, and get as many young people moving and keep them moving.”

Peter Kwint indicated that the NVB wants to offer a place within the federation to the hundreds of thousands of recreational combat sports participants. “An incredible number of people greatly enjoy bag training or technique training, but have no wish to compete. These people are vital for the gyms, and we want to add value for them too. For example by offering attractive collective insurance policies.” In addition, there must be lasting support for top talent, and in time the federation wants to hold Dutch national championships in all three affiliated sports.

Building on the work of others
In his remarks, Kwint stressed that the new organisation builds on the work of numerous pioneers. He praised not only the work of the officials and promoters who have carried the sport in recent years, but also thanked a number of combat sports icons who were present. “We stand on the shoulders of giants. The pioneers who, since the 1970s, laid the foundation on which the NVB must now build.”

2024 covenant
The NVB will shortly sign a covenant with the Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit (VA) setting out the requirements the federation must meet in its activities. These agreements are intended to ensure that combat sports in the Netherlands can be practised safely, healthily and in a well-organised manner. In recent years, in the absence of a strong federation, the VA carried out numerous federation tasks. The registration of competitive athletes, agreements with the Dutch Doping Authority (Dopingautoriteit) and disciplinary law will eventually be transferred to the NVB. In future, the VA will focus exclusively on the supervisory tasks for which the organisation was created in 2017.

Building up
The federation will be operational from 1 January 2024, but it was emphasised that a fully functioning organisation cannot be in place from day one. “We now have to build up and expand the NVB, and that will take some time. As a board, we will quickly need to staff an office that can carry out the day-to-day work. We will publish vacancies as soon as possible, including on our website: www.vechtsportbond.nl. Until then, the combat sports sector will function as it has done in recent years.”

Kickboxing king Rico Verhoeven and kickboxing pioneer Thom Harinck

Prominent figures respond
A large number of prominent figures attended the presentation of the new federation at Topsportcentrum Rotterdam. They proved to be positive about the joining of forces in a single federation. The best-known face of Dutch combat sports, kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven, gave his reaction on the spot to NOS. He concluded that for years combat sports have been a patchwork affair (in a good way, he stressed) and called the founding of a single federation fantastic. Speaking to the reporter of Hart van Nederland, he called it “the icing on the cake”.

Remy Bonjasky also backed the founding of a single federation. “It is very important that things are regulated and organised.” The former K-1 world champion had previously declared himself a convinced supporter.

Saïd Elbadaoui, head trainer at SB Gym in Utrecht, responded on Hart van Nederland. “At the moment you have different federations with different rules. It is important that everyone will soon be pulling in the same direction.”

Thom Harinck was one of the people who introduced kickboxing in the Netherlands in the 1970s. The legendary trainer of Chakuriki Gym, who among others brought Badr Hari to the top, has long argued for uniting all organisations in one federation. “I am almost eighty now and I am very happy that I can finally witness the founding of one federation.”

The photographs accompanying this article, other photographs and the NVB logos are available to the media free of charge in higher resolution via info@vechtsportautoriteit.nl The photographs accompanying this article may be reproduced with the following credit: © Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit. Photographer: First name Last name