Combat sports sector agrees new measures for 2020

The covenant partners of the Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit (Dutch Combat Sports Authority), that is, all active sports federations for kickboxing, Muay Thai and MMA in the Netherlands, have made new agreements intended to help us organise the sport better and make it healthier.

The Covenant 2020 includes a number of new agreements. These were drawn up partly on the basis of input from the advisory committees of the VA. The measures were recently discussed and agreed at a meeting for covenant partners.

An important addition is that the federations will actively work to prevent and combat inappropriate behaviour in the sport. Among other things, they will shortly bring a guidance document on Tackling Inappropriate Behaviour to the attention of all board members and members, and publish it on their own website and social media channels. Until now, addressing abuses such as sexual abuse and bullying has received too little attention in the combat sports sector. With this guidance document, and with the introduction of confidential counsellors (Vertrouwenscontactpersonen) later this year, serious steps are being taken to put this right. This makes the sport safer for everyone.

On the recommendation of our medical committee, which consists of experienced ringside doctors and other medical professionals, it has been decided that competitive fighters over the age of forty must present a sports medical examination that is no more than 6 months old before they enter the ring. Any healthy athlete over forty can therefore simply continue to compete, but the increased risk that people run from that age onwards is covered by this examination. The federations will be responsible for checking this.

Another measure being introduced on the recommendation of the medical committee is that the use of closed gloves will become mandatory at kickboxing and Muay Thai bouts. In other countries we see promotions experimenting with the use of MMA gloves in kickboxing or Muay Thai. The consequences for health and for the image of the sport have led to the decision not to permit this in the Netherlands.

In consultation with the covenant partners, it has been decided that competitors in the Youth class will from now on be weighed in the clothing in which they enter the ring. Weighing in underwear is no longer permitted, because this places children in an unnecessarily vulnerable position.

At events, the covenant partners take responsibility for arranging a doctor. No doctor, no event. Medical support must be requested at least six weeks in advance from Fighting Doctors or a comparable organisation. At every event, the federations will insist on a separate or screened-off room for the doctor, so that treatment can be carried out in confidence and privacy-sensitive information can be discussed.

Finally, all covenant partners undertake to email their calendar of events to our site every month from now on. This makes it possible for us to publish all events in the Netherlands in one central calendar.

The measures were recently discussed at length with all covenant partners and enjoy broad support. We are convinced that with these measures we are taking new steps and raising our sports to a higher level once again.