Vechtsportautoriteit gives presentation at the City of Amsterdam

‘Historically, Amsterdam is the combat sports capital of the Netherlands,’ VA director Farid Gamei told a large group of Amsterdam municipal officials. ‘But combat sports are firmly rooted in the capital today as well. It is therefore important that the municipality and the Vechtsportautoriteit (Netherlands Combat Sports Authority) maintain their existing close ties.’

A major conference on the relationship between combat sports and municipalities was recently held at the Jaap Edenhal in Amsterdam. This historic venue was chosen because it hosted the first kickboxing gala in the Netherlands fifty years ago. Last year we celebrated the fact that half a century ago the first specialised kickboxing gym opened in the Jordaan district: Mejiro Gym. VA director Farid Gamei referred to this history this week during a presentation at the city hall for a group of Amsterdam municipal officials from the Sports department.

This rooting of combat sports in the capital provided the foundation on which work continues today. With some twenty events a year and no fewer than 59 combat sports gyms holding the Keurmerk Vechtsportautoriteit (VA quality mark), the sector is thriving. A growing number of athletes, mainly young ones, still find their way to the gym.

According to Gamei, the City of Amsterdam shows in daily practice that it is aware of its responsibility to contribute to a sound combat sports climate. Gyms that wish to cooperate with the municipality or benefit from municipal schemes must meet the requirements of the VA quality mark. For events, the VA requirements are applied. But requirements are not the only thing: there is also active support and encouragement. For years, the municipality has made workspaces available at the city hall for the VA office organisation. The programme supporting elite sports talent in Amsterdam has also long been open to combat sports athletes.

The VA considers it in the interest of both the municipality and combat sports that these close ties are well maintained. That is why VA director Gamei gave a presentation this week to the officials of the Sports department. ‘It is useful to do this at regular intervals,’ he explained, ‘because through natural turnover there are always new staff members who are not yet fully familiar with our particular sector, and with the instruments we offer municipalities to make safe and healthy combat sports practice possible. With a presentation such as this one, we hope to contribute to a lasting anchoring of combat sports in the capital, and to the confidence of policymakers and implementing officials in the combat sports sector.’

Photo: Pari Aryafar