Amsterdam to support young top talents in combat sports

The City of Amsterdam will support a number of selected top talents from combat sports. They will be able to use the existing elite sport facilities in the city. Funding is being made available to offer elite athletes a weekly basic package of elite sport support. This includes medical support from a sports physician or physiotherapist, guidance in strength training, nutrition plans and support in combining sport with education.

The municipality has been supporting elite sport talent in the capital for some time. Until now this support only went to athletes affiliated with the national umbrella sports organisation NOC*NSF. However, more and more young people practise sport outside this structure, including at the highest level. This also applies to kickboxing, Thai boxing and MMA, which do not have a single central sports federation. The city council recently decided that these young people should also be supported if they want to reach the top.

Young elite combat sports athletes from Amsterdam will be given the opportunity to develop further on their way to an international elite sport stage. The organisation Topsport Amsterdam will draw up the elite sport programme for the athletes. The experts of Topsport Amsterdam will then provide the support. The athletes are selected by an independent selection committee. The Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit (Dutch Combat Sports Authority) has an advisory and supporting role in this process.

The document topsporttalentenfonds-amsterdam-voorlichting (information on the Amsterdam elite sport talent fund) explains what Topsport Amsterdam is and what the elite sport programme in which young athletes can take part involves. The registration form can be requested at topsporttalentenfonds@topsportamsterdam.nl

The VA will actively bring this programme to the attention of other municipalities and encourage them to support local elite combat sports talents on their way to the top as well.