Saskia van Rijswijk joins the VA board

The board of the Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit (the Dutch combat sports authority) has been expanded with Saskia van Rijswijk.

In the 1980s, Van Rijswijk won several international titles in full contact karate, kickboxing and Thai boxing. Coming from the Chakuriki gym, she developed into a pioneer in Dutch combat sports.

After her short career as a competitive fighter, she was active as an international judge at combat sports events, among other roles. She also appeared as an actress in various films in the Netherlands and abroad. In addition, she gave self-defence courses and demonstrations in the Netherlands and abroad for many years. She also taught sports classes at the remand prison (Huis van Bewaring) in Amsterdam and for the riot police unit (Mobiele Eenheid) of the police.

After dancing professionally in show ballets for five years, Van Rijswijk mainly worked as a coach. She has now been working for more than ten years as a personnel consultant for the sheltered employment organisation (Sociale Werkvoorziening) and advises the national government. She is a certified mental health practice nurse (praktijkondersteuner huisarts geestelijke gezondheidszorg, POH-GGZ) and a psychologist, and in her own practice she works as a hypnotherapist.

After a period of no longer being active in the sport, she now wants to contribute to the professionalisation of the combat sports sector from an independent position. Van Rijswijk recently completed the confidential contact person (vertrouwenscontactpersoon) course through the VA. As of today, she has joined the board of the Vechtsportautoriteit. Her focus is on communication and mediation, and she will be the board representative on the recently established Athletes' Council (Sportersraad) of the VA.