Gym excluded after breaching coronavirus measures

The VA (Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit, the Dutch Martial Arts Authority) has excluded a gym from taking part in martial arts events for three months. The reason is a flagrant breach of the coronavirus measures. The exclusion takes effect as soon as martial arts events in the Netherlands resume.

The martial arts community has also taken its responsibility in combating the coronavirus pandemic. Events have been cancelled and gyms have closed. In consultation with all active federations in the Netherlands, the coronavirus measures issued by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), the government and the national sports umbrella organisation NOC*NSF have been clearly communicated to the martial arts sector. It was explicitly stated that organised outdoor training sessions within our sport also conflict with the requirement of social distancing, in particular keeping the recommended distance of 1.5 metres.

The VA has unfortunately observed that a gym with several members took part in a full contact training session on the crowded beach of Scheveningen on Sunday 22 March 2020. Footage of this was shown on the NOS Journaal, RTL Nieuws and Hart van Nederland news programmes, among others. By ignoring the coronavirus measures, this gym exposed its members, as well as the people around them, to the risk of infection with the coronavirus at a time when the Netherlands was making every effort to slow the growth in infections. It also brought the sport of kickboxing into disrepute on national television. This conflicts with Article 8 of the General rules of conduct for full contact martial arts (Algemene gedragsregels full contact vechtsporten) that apply within our sports.

The VA has excluded the gym from taking part in martial arts events in the Netherlands for a period of three months. The sanction will take effect as soon as sports events in the Netherlands resume.