Amsterdam: Keurmerk Vechtsportautoriteit a condition for cooperation

All sports organisations that want to work with the City of Amsterdam must meet basic requirements. For martial arts gyms this means they must hold a Keurmerk Vechtsportautoriteit (quality mark of the Dutch Martial Arts Authority). This is stated by Simone Kukenheim, the city executive responsible for sport (sportwethouder), in a letter to all sports clubs and gyms in the capital. Many municipalities are expected to follow this example.

The letter states, among other things:

‘Taking part in sport at a sports club must be safe. Everyone respects each other and each other’s boundaries. To embed this, the City of Amsterdam wants sports providers with which we cooperate to meet at least the basic requirements in the field of social safety. In this way we can jointly ensure that everyone can take part in sport safely.’

Amsterdam requires all sports clubs to ensure that their trainers and supervisors hold a certificate of good conduct (Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag, VOG). They must also sign the Code of Conduct on Social Safety (Gedragscode Sociale Veiligheid). In addition, sports clubs must have a confidential contact person (vertrouwenscontactpersoon). For providers of kickboxing, Thai boxing or mixed martial arts (MMA), the requirements of the Keurmerk of the Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit (Dutch Martial Arts Authority) apply, the city executive writes.

‘During this transitional year, 2021, we will put these basic requirements in order and the municipality is happy to help you with this. From 1 January 2022, cooperation will be ended with sports providers that make no effort to meet the basic requirements.’

This requirement applies to gyms that make use of the low income schemes through the Stadspas and the Jeugdfonds Sport (youth sports fund), of municipal subsidy schemes, and if they are deployed in activities or programmes of the municipality.

Gyms in Amsterdam can turn to the municipality for various forms of support via www.amsterdam.nl/sport

A large number of other municipalities are now also working to include the Keurmerk Vechtsportautoriteit in their local policy.

Martial arts gyms can apply for the Keurmerk Vechtsportautoriteit on this website.