VA monitors developments surrounding the NVB

Last Friday, a meeting about developments surrounding the Dutch Martial Arts Federation (Nederlandse Vechtsportbond, NVB) took place at the initiative of gym owners. Representatives of the Vechtsportautoriteit (the Dutch martial arts regulator) attended at the request of the initiators.

In recent weeks, the Vechtsportautoriteit has been approached several times by people involved in martial arts who expressed dissatisfaction or concern about the state of affairs at the NVB. This concerned individuals, organisations and members of the NVB Federation Council (Bondsraad). The VA also received a letter from people in the sector calling on it to pay attention to this. The VA naturally takes these signals from the sector seriously, but emphasises that the NVB is itself responsible for its policy and determines and implements that policy independently of the VA.

Last Friday, a group of gym owners organised a meeting in Houten with the board of the NVB. At the request of the initiators, the VA was present, mainly as an observer. The central topics were the composition of the NVB board and possible conflicts of interest, the alleged under-representation of independent promoters, and the costs of the competition licence and the federation membership fee.

The VA has taken note of the critical views and will of course continue to pay attention to them in the period ahead. The VA remains in contact with various representatives from the sector as well as with the NVB and members of the Federation Council, which assesses the NVB board.