VA presentation at Haaglanden Safety Region: working together for safe combat sports events

Municipalities play an important role in safeguarding the quality of combat sports events. The VA helps them ask the right questions when someone wants to organise an event. VA director Farid Gamei gave a presentation to all municipalities in the Haaglanden Safety Region (Veiligheidsregio Haaglanden, a regional partnership for safety and emergency services) about the instruments available to prevent problems.

It is important for combat sports that galas and tournaments run smoothly. Problems, for example with spectators who misbehave, are very damaging for promoters. It can cost them their money, their reputation and their permit. Municipalities want to safeguard public order, including around events. They also want people to be safe at sports events. Because of this shared interest, promoters and municipalities work together in the run-up to and during an event. The VA supports them in doing so.

Some municipalities already have considerable experience in this area. For others it is new. At a meeting of all municipalities in the Haaglanden Safety Region, Farid Gamei explained on behalf of the VA what role municipalities can play and which instruments the VA has available for this purpose.

For several years the VA has been working with the Guidance document on municipal policy for combat sports events (Handreiking gemeentelijk beleid vechtsportevenementen). “It sets out precisely which questions a municipality can ask someone who wants to organise an event,” Gamei said. “Municipalities that follow this guidance can enter into discussions with a promoter from a basic position of trust.”

This guidance document, developed partly with experienced promoters, is not only there to help municipalities. Organisers also benefit from it. Municipalities that are uncertain, or where officials hold prejudices about combat sports, sometimes raise unnecessary bureaucratic barriers out of caution. This guidance gives them something to hold on to, so they are less hesitant to take responsibility for issuing a permit.

Gamei also offered a look at the other side of the permit process. “For promoters, the VA developed a template for a safety plan. It helps organisers to run their event as safely as possible. We drew it up together with professional safety experts, promoters and experienced officials from large cities. Key elements include risk analyses of the audience, but also risk analyses of the bouts, the management of traffic flows, and the briefings for security staff. By using it, promoters can give municipalities additional evidence that they are actively and thoughtfully engaged with safety policy.”

The municipalities were above all encouraged to contact the VA with any questions. “We are glad to help both municipalities and promoters, because we need both in order to organise good and safe combat sports events.”