Vechtsportautoriteit in 2025: back to core tasks

In the new year, the Dutch martial arts sector will continue to develop. For the Vechtsportautoriteit (the Dutch martial arts authority, VA) this means a number of changes.

The most important development is that the NVB (Nederlandse Vechtsportbond, the Dutch martial arts federation) is taking over more and more responsibilities from the VA. The VA will focus more on supervision, enforcement and advice, the purpose for which the organisation was originally established.

In recent years the VA regularly took on tasks that in other sports are carried out by a central sports federation. This was necessary because the fragmented martial arts sector did not have a single federation that could bear these responsibilities. Now that the NVB is that federation, the VA is transferring these tasks step by step and in close consultation.

Fightpassport
The Fightpassport was launched by the VA in 2018 in order to better organise competitive martial arts. Since December 2024 the NVB has been responsible for managing and further developing this central bout registration system. This is pre-eminently a responsibility that belongs to a sports federation. All athletes, trainers, promoters and other stakeholders can therefore from now on email the NVB with any questions and suggestions concerning the Fightpassport.

NOC*NSF and POS
Another important task of a sports federation is representing the interests of the sport. The federation and organisations such as NOC*NSF (the Dutch Olympic Committee and Dutch Sports Federation) and the Platform Ondernemende Sportaanbieders (POS, the platform for commercial sports providers) address local and national politics. Within these organisations too, the VA performed these tasks for as long as there was no overarching martial arts federation. The NVB has since become an aspirant member of NOC*NSF. The VA itself remains an associated member of NOC*NSF, but from now on the representation of martial arts interests will be carried out by the NVB.

Representing sports entrepreneurs specifically, such as martial arts gym owners and promoters, takes place mainly through the Platform Ondernemende Sportaanbieders. This too is a federation task that now lies with the NVB. After years of fruitful cooperation, the VA therefore recently took its leave of the POS.

Keurmerk Vechtsportautoriteit
The application process for and issuing of the quality mark for martial arts gyms, the Keurmerk Vechtsportautoriteit, will be taken over by the NVB in the second half of 2025. The Vechtsportautoriteit will remain responsible for the audits at gyms.

Licences
Promoter licences and matchmaker licences were and are issued through the former covenant partners, in accordance with standards laid down by the VA in consultation with the sector. The issuing of these licences will be taken over by the NVB in the second half of 2025. During the course of 2025 the NVB will also start issuing licences for officials, once the federation takes on the coordination of the deployment of officials as well.

Supervision and advice
The Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit was established in 2017 as the supervisory body for martial arts. This has always remained its core task, but due to circumstances more and more responsibilities were added. The transfer of the federation tasks means that the VA can now devote all its attention to supervision and enforcement, with the aim of safeguarding quality on all fronts. Most attention will go to organising martial arts events properly and safely, and to strengthening the martial arts gyms.

The advisory role towards municipalities and other public authorities with regard to martial arts will also remain with the VA, as agreed with the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (ministerie van VWS).

Photo: Pari Chery