Confidential contact persons retrained by Centrum Veilige Sport

Confidential contact persons (vertrouwenscontactpersonen) Saskia van Rijswijk, Richard van Asdonck and Julian Huijsse completed a two-day refresher course at Centrum Veilige Sport (the Dutch Centre for Safe Sport) on behalf of the Vechtsportautoriteit. Exactly four years after the network of confidential contact persons followed the first course organised by the VA, the first points of contact completed the refresher course.

A sound network of confidential contact persons is important in order to handle reports of sexual harassment and other undesirable behaviour in the proper way. This helps to make combat sports safer for athletes, people working in the sport, and the public.

Saskia van Rijswijk, Richard van Asdonck and Julian Huijsse are the first points of contact for people who want to raise a matter with a confidential contact person. The reason for their refresher course is the introduction of a new Case Management System. This is the computer system that the confidential contact persons and Centrum Veilige Sport use to store confidential information securely.

The refresher course was also used to discuss the procedure for processing reports and interview techniques in more detail.

Undesirable behaviour occurs in all parts of society, so unfortunately also in (combat) sports. All gyms holding the Keurmerk Vechtsportautoriteit (the quality mark of the Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit) have their own independent confidential contact person, or they must actively refer their members to the confidential contact persons of the VA.

Would you like to raise a matter with a confidential contact person yourself? Please do get in touch. Even if you are unsure, they can help you consider whether it would be advisable to report a situation.