Unregulated fights can have serious consequences

While combat sports in the Netherlands are increasingly well regulated, some people continue to organise unregulated fights. Involvement in these events can have serious consequences.

Recently we have seen so-called 'hoodfights' being organised again. The VA (Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit, the Dutch Combat Sports Authority) has previously published a statement about this phenomenon. People active in martial arts should keep well away from these ill-considered initiatives, which put combat sports in a very bad light.

These so-called 'hoodfights' usually involve poorly trained participants demonstrating their lack of skill in a small park or a shed. Most of the time they do it for a handful of YouTube viewers, sometimes for a larger audience, but almost always with a great deal of noise on social media.

The VA does not regard unregulated fights as sporting contests. Even so, the combat sports sector will suffer reputational damage if accidents happen. For example, because municipalities may then take an even more negative view of combat sports events. That is why the VA considers activities of this kind highly undesirable.

Everyone involved in regulated combat sports should stay away from these initiatives. Athlete, trainer/coach, official, ringside physician, promoter, matchmaker, sponsor or vlogger: anyone who cares about combat sports and thinks for two seconds will not support this fringe nonsense.

Everyone with an active role in combat sports is bound by the General Rules of Conduct for Full Contact Combat Sports (Algemene Gedragsregels Full Contact Vechtsporten), through the Fightpassport, the Keurmerk Vechtsportautoriteit (the VA quality mark for gyms), the covenant with the NVB, the promoter licence or the matchmaker licence. These rules state that you must refrain from activities that could damage the reputation of combat sports. This applies not only to taking part, but also to helping to organise or promote such events.

Should anyone nevertheless become involved in 'hoodfights' or other unregulated fights, whether in the Netherlands or abroad, this can lead to a measure being imposed by the VA. This may include exclusion from participation in contests, loss of the Keurmerk Vechtsportautoriteit, or withdrawal of a licence.

The people who organise these events often give the impression that what they do is 'legal'. They claim, for instance, that it is allowed because they organise the fights on private property. That is not correct. Even if both parties consent, violence in unregulated fights can be regarded as criminal assault. In addition, many municipalities have explicitly prohibited activities of this kind themselves, subject to substantial penalty payments running into tens of thousands of euros.

Quite apart from criminal liability, unregulated fights, wherever and whenever they take place, are therefore considered a breach of the rules of conduct of the combat sports sector. This means the sector can impose its own sanctions through the Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit.

The VA encourages anyone who wants to compete in contests to contact one of the hundreds of good combat sports gyms in the Netherlands. There you can work towards fighting in properly regulated contests under expert guidance.

Photo: Francisco Galarza