Bonjasky and Holzken support the establishment of a single federation

The establishment of a single federation for martial arts is a much-discussed topic in the Dutch martial arts world. It therefore came up when VA director Farid Gamei was recently a guest on Warrior Talk, the talk show hosted by Remy Bonjasky.

In the programme, Gamei explains the current state of affairs regarding the formation of the new federation. Host Bonjasky asks kickboxing icon Nieky Holzken what he actually thinks of it.

Holzken says that twenty years ago he was already surprised that he had to fight under one federation on one occasion and under a different federation the next, with different rules each time. He is therefore in favour of a single federation, but is curious about what will happen to the existing organisations.

Gamei emphasises that the people who make up the current organisations are extremely important to the sport. ‘They have done a great deal for the sport and should certainly come along. It is simply the case that the current organisations focus mainly on referees and judges for events. But if you look at other sports, at what a federation should actually cover, that also includes grassroots development, support for elite sport, training courses, disciplinary law, doping, that sort of thing. Until now, that has not really been taken up in our sector. We want this federation so that the overarching federation tasks, which are well organised in other sports, are also organised in martial arts.’

Bonjasky says he also welcomes the establishment of a single federation. ‘I am extremely pleased about it.’

The full episode of Warrior Talk can be watched again here