Marc Merx joins the Supervisory Board of the Vechtsportautoriteit

As of 1 September, Marc Merx has joined the Supervisory Board (Raad van Toezicht) of the Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit (the Dutch Combat Sports Authority). The Dordrecht alderman (wethouder) for the VVD party previously worked for many years at the Netherlands Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit).

The Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit supervises kickboxing, Thai boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA) in the Netherlands. The VA consists of a board, an executive office, advisory committees, and a supervisory board that keeps the organisation on course.

Merx was a policy adviser at the Ministry of Justice and Security (ministerie van Justitie en Veiligheid) for more than twelve years. He was subsequently responsible for enforcement at the Netherlands Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit), the government body that supervises the gambling and lottery sector, for a long period. He is also a member and deputy chair of the complaints committee of the Rotterdam police.

“Combat sport is a very fine branch of sport, practised by large numbers of young people and adults. It teaches you discipline, it teaches you to take a hit and it gives you perspective. Unfortunately, it is sometimes seen in a less favourable light. In recent years, the VA and many people active in this sector have put this fine sport in a better light. I would like to do my bit to help.”

Besides Merx, the Supervisory Board of the VA consists of the mayor of Smallingerland, Jan Rijpstra, member of the Dutch House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) Peter Kwint, and former elite athlete and lawyer Jan Loorbach. Merx took up his position on 1 September 2022.