On the road with the Audit Team

Safeguarding the quality of martial arts events is one of the tasks of the Vechtsportautoriteit (the Dutch martial arts authority). That is why auditors go out every week to see what goes well and what can be done better. `I was already wondering when you would drop by.'

Since the beginning of 2018, events have been visited by members of the audit team. This is a pool of martial arts enthusiasts who often have professional knowledge of control processes. During the week they work as lawyers, accountants or investigators for the government, and at the weekend they visit the halls as volunteers. They look at what goes well during the galas and tournaments, and what can be improved next time.

They look at matters such as health provisions for the athletes, the safety of visitors, and financial transparency. `Not to play policeman, but to raise the quality together,' says Marcel Scholtes. Within the board of the VA he is responsible for the audits.

In daily life, Scholtes is a senior inspector at the Inspectorate of the Ministry of Justice and Security (Inspectie van het ministerie van Justitie & Veiligheid). He has a long career as a police officer behind him. So he could well play `policeman', but he wants to emphasise that the audit team above all has a constructive role. `We want to bring the martial arts world to a higher level in organisational terms, that is our main goal.'

A warm welcome

Each year, some thirty events are visited by a pair of auditors. From Groningen to Heerlen, from the Gelredome to the gym around the corner. Sometimes they announce their visit in advance, sometimes they turn up unannounced, wearing a polo shirt with the VA logo and carrying an identification pass. All federations and promoters have agreed that auditors are given free access to all events, to all rooms there, and that they may speak to anyone on site.

In mid-November, an unannounced audit takes place in the Waardergolf sports hall in Heerhugowaard. `I was already wondering when you would drop by,' says Ruud Alwart of Mejiro Gym Heerhugowaard, half joking. He organises the event `The Smash' and gives auditors Jeroen and Tom a warm welcome. Jeroen is, among other things, an employment law adviser in the trade union movement; Tom is a criminologist. Both have been active kickboxers for years.

Running smoothly

Alwart proudly shows them around the hall. A ring has been built on a raised platform, which at that moment is being checked once more by the head referee. The referees and judges are affiliated with the WMTA, the VA's covenant partner that sanctions this event. You might think Alwart has other things on his mind than receiving auditors. However, he indicates that everything is running smoothly, and takes the time to answer the questions put to him about the permit, ticket sales, safety and the facilities for athletes and officials.

After this tour, the auditors make their own round through the building. They speak with all kinds of people. From athletes and coaches to hostesses and security staff, from the Mejiro volunteers to parents of young participants. They speak with the ringside doctor about how the weigh-ins went and about the facilities made available to her. They then inspect the changing rooms and go through the matchmaking with the WMTA representative. Are no beginners matched against advanced fighters? Are there no large differences in weight? Has it been checked for all participants that their Fightpassport is in order?

Clear agreements

`Usually we announce a visit in advance,' explains Jeroen, one of the more experienced auditors. `That gives the organiser time to have some paperwork ready for us. The necessary permits and the financial plan, for example. If we come unannounced, as now, we agree with the organiser that he will submit it by email a few days later.'

The federations that work with the VA have made clear agreements in a covenant about the requirements for an event. These include requirements concerning medical support, a safety plan, facilities for the athletes and balanced matchmaking. The auditors usually do identify some points for improvement, but broadly speaking it is now clear to everyone that every event must rest on a sound foundation. That is now also the case.

At the event in Heerhugowaard, it turns out at the end of the day that the organisation has its affairs in order in all respects. When, in the course of the afternoon, the auditors happen to meet three representatives of the municipality, they too turn out to be very positive about the organisation. In addition, the auditors get to see a number of fine bouts by boys and girls and women and men in all kinds of classes, often cheered on by enthusiastic family members and friends in the well-filled stands.

Sidelined

The fact that the auditors are often able to draw up a positive report does not mean that there are no longer any abuses in the kickboxing world. With some regularity, the VA finds that small-scale events are organised by people who appear to have no regard for the standards the VA seeks to uphold. `Unfortunately, we still sometimes receive emails about gyms organising their own events where, for example, children fight without a doctor being present,' says Farid Gamei, manager of the office of the Vechtsportautoriteit. `Or they call it a club championship or an open day and think the agreed standards do not apply. That is why we keep open the option of carrying out an audit after the fact as well. If we find that gyms overstep the mark, they end up on the blacklist. Then they really have a problem. Their fighters and trainers are then excluded from taking part in competitions and they really are sidelined for a while.'

Experience

In mid-December, Jeroen again turns up unannounced at the door of a sports hall in West-Friesland. This time in Schermerhorn, where Enfusion Alkmaar is taking place. He is accompanied by Barry Smit, who works at the office of the Vechtsportautoriteit. Organiser Edwin van Os is one of the most experienced promoters in the kickboxing world. This shows in the professionalism of today's `production'. A television term, production, because Enfusion is not only a sports event. It is also a show whose main bouts are broadcast live in several countries.

Van Os too receives the auditors in a friendly manner. He shows them around and answers all questions. In the area of safety he applies stricter standards than is customary. The number of security staff is considerably higher than usual. Traffic controllers have also been engaged to keep nuisance for the surrounding area to a minimum. And there are two ringside doctors present, where one is customary. `That is a consequence of the television production,' Van Os explains. `If a doctor spends a little longer with a fighter after a bout, a colleague must be able to take over at the ring, so that we do not run into delays.'

Good atmosphere

During a break in the programme, Jeroen and Barry speak with the doctors present and with Joop Ubeda. This cheerful veteran represents the NKF, the organisation that sanctions the event. Among other things, this federation provides the referees, judges and ringside doctors. The auditors go through the preparation and the course of the evening with them. They ask the usual questions about, among other things, the matchmaking, the weigh-in and the use of the Fightpassport system. The head of the referees and the medical staff are positive about how things are going and have nothing out of the ordinary to report.

The matchmaking does indeed prove to be balanced that evening. The bouts are lively and exciting. The evening in Schermerhorn goes well and the atmosphere is good. But that is also thanks to the supporters of a number of fighters from Alkmaar and Haarlem, among other places, who make themselves heard enthusiastically.

Points for improvement

If the auditors do find matters that can be improved, they include this in their report. The final reports are then fed back to the promoter, the federation that sanctions the event, and the municipality. All those involved can then pay extra attention to these points at subsequent events.

Something for you?

The Audit Team currently consists of some 25 people and is being expanded steadily. For this, we are looking for people who have an affinity with the sport, but who can work in complete independence in this world. They are not, for example, coaches, gym owners or affiliated with federations or promoters. Does becoming a member appeal to you as well, and do you have expertise that is relevant to this work? Then contact the VA at info@vechtsportautoriteit.nl