Annual Report 2021: the year of the long haul

In the foreword to the latest annual report, VA chair Herbert Dekkers calls 2021 "the year of the long haul". The ongoing coronavirus crisis led to many restrictions. Policy was also amended frequently. This tested the patience of many. But the sector did not give up and in fact looked ahead as well.

In the annual report, the VA sets out which regular activities were carried out, and which tasks arose as a result of the coronavirus crisis. A heavy shadow hung over combat sports, but the sports world did not let itself be darkened by it. Hard work was done to offer sport as best as possible and to keep people moving. As we said time and again, including to politicians: sport is not part of the problem, but part of the solution.

Because we continued to look ahead and gym owners also wanted to invest in the future, the Keurmerk Vechtsportautoriteit (the quality mark of the Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit) was launched. More than one hundred combat sports gyms obtained the quality mark in the first months and carried it with pride.

2021 was also the year of the major congress on the future of combat sports in the Netherlands. In the second half of the year, substantial steps were taken towards stronger combat sports, with the joining of forces as the central theme.

You can read more about this, and about everything else that took place, in the Annual Report 2021 (in Dutch).