'It is about people, but we are also working on a culture'

Vechtsportautoriteit board member Saskia van Rijswijk is the confidential contact person (vertrouwenscontactpersoon) for the combat sports sector. But what does that mean in practice? 'It always starts with listening carefully, but after that you have to move forward. We are there to advise people on their next steps.' 

Six years ago, the Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit (the Dutch combat sports authority) organised a course for confidential contact persons in the combat sports sector for the first time. This basic training by NOC*NSF (the Dutch Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation) and Centrum Veilige Sport (the Centre for Safe Sport) was an important step towards a safer and healthier combat sports sector. 

Dozens of people have now been trained. Their task is to handle reports of, among other things, sexual harassment and other transgressive behaviour. They offer a listening ear and help people who report an incident to take the necessary follow-up steps. They are not there to pass judgement or to provide psychological help, but to advise people on their next steps. Sometimes that means supporting someone in filing an official complaint. More often, mediation is more appropriate. The confidential contact person looks for a tailored solution together with those involved.

At the VA itself, board member Saskia van Rijswijk stepped forward. Given her background as a psychologist and as a former competitive fighter at the highest level, she has the right profile to act as a point of contact. Normally (in other sports) it is not common for a board member also to be the confidential contact person. But our sports are simply organised somewhat differently, and given her background and the trust she enjoys within the sector, Saskia is in fact particularly approachable. Practice shows that people who report an incident often prefer her to someone they do not know. We look back with her on the introduction of the role and on the first years in which she acted as confidential contact person.

Have the confidential contact persons changed anything in combat sports?

'We have to look more broadly than at this role alone. As a society, and therefore also in sport, we are working on cultural change. Supporting victims better, but also guiding offenders in order to reduce the chance of repetition. Taking matters out of the realm of taboo. 

The VA has written a guide, Tackling transgressive behaviour in combat sports, intended for municipalities, federations, gyms, promoters, trainers and of course the fighters and recreational participants themselves. That helps us as a combat sports sector to set and safeguard standards together. I think a compliment should above all go to the gym owners, who have developed house rules and make sure someone is available to be approached. They work every day to maintain a healthy combat sports culture. 

The events are the eye-catchers of combat sports, but the gym is our home. That is where safety starts, that is where we pass on norms and values, and that is where we have to be there for each other. As confidential contact person, I hope to contribute in some small way to a culture in which that is self-evident.'

What kind of reports do you receive as confidential contact person? 

'Most reports concern transgressive behaviour. Think of athletes who experience sexual harassment at the gym, or discrimination. But there are also matters relating to integrity in sport, for example alleged conflicts of interest. A third category concerns safety at gyms. That may be parents who see that their young child is still being hit on the head, even though we have agreed that this is only permitted from a certain age. But also athletes who think the building in which they train is unsafe.' 

Someone calls you with an issue. What do you do then?

'It always starts with listening carefully. What exactly is going on? Is the matter the person is calling about really the core of the problem, or is there an underlying problem? You try to work that out very carefully. You try to speak to all the parties involved, often first in an informal conversation. You first explore whether it is possible to reach a solution without starting a formal procedure. You do not do that to avoid a fuss or to protect offenders, but because it is sometimes also in the interest of the person reporting. It can save a victim a great deal of stress if a satisfactory outcome is reached through mediation, for example. And if that does not work, I set out the options for the person reporting, and we discuss together what the best follow-up steps could be. I try to leave the person reporting in control as much as possible.' 

Are you not inclined to start mediating yourself?

'That is the first human reaction, thinking about how we can help those involved out of an unpleasant situation. But our first responsibility is to guide. As confidential contact persons we also have to know our limitations. We are not the police, we are not a small-claims arbitrator, and we do not provide relationship therapy. Our task is to point someone in the right direction. That is often difficult enough in itself.' 

Are the people who come to you always victims? 

'We are available for everyone involved in transgressive behaviour. That can be victims, witnesses, but also offenders. Or people who are not sure whether they have crossed a line. Someone has also come to me who was in a relationship with another athlete, where that relationship went off the rails. It can be someone who has gained insight into their own behaviour, regrets it and gets in touch from that position. Or people come forward in a conflict in which both parties bear a degree of responsibility. It is far from always black and white. We encourage everyone who has doubts, including about their own behaviour. A first conversation is always confidential. Even if you have been carrying something around for a long time, remember that it is never too late to free yourself of a possible burden. A conversation can help enormously if you have become stuck in your own head.' 

Not every case is black and white, which is challenging. What other challenges are there?

'There can be cultural barriers to discussing something, such as shame or a sense of honour. For example within the family of a victim or an offender. That can keep people from standing up for themselves, and you have to handle that very carefully. Something else that can make a matter complex is that victims or offenders may have a behavioural disorder or a limited capacity to learn. Then it is extra important to provide a tailored approach, including in all communication with those involved.'

Did you learn all of this in that one-day course?

'The course by NOC*NSF and Centrum Veilige Sport is a good start, but personally I think you are not finished with that. I noticed quite quickly that I needed more training, and I therefore decided to develop myself further. I registered with the Landelijk Instituut Vertrouwenspersonen (the national institute for confidential advisers), and I am now also a confidential adviser (vertrouwenspersoon). 

In addition, I am able to use the CMSS, the Case Management System Sport of Centrum Veilige Sport Nederland (the Centre for Safe Sport Netherlands), with whom I also work closely. Partly because there I got to know more people who deal with these kinds of responsibilities. That is how you build up an informal network. If I need advice myself on a complicated case, I know there are a number of people with similar experience whom I can approach. Incidentally, those involved also remain anonymous towards this team in such a conversation. 

I think it would be good if there were more follow-up courses, in which confidential contact persons from different sports could also exchange experiences. In my view, everyone who takes on this role is more than willing to share knowledge and support others. I was recently asked to act as confidential contact person for the Nederlandse Boksbond (the Dutch boxing federation) as well, and to pass on the experience gained in this position at the Vechtsportautoriteit. As combat sports, we have to some extent played a pioneering role.' 




More information about confidentiality matters can be found here. You will also find Saskia's contact details there.