One federation: what does it mean for you?

Work is under way on a new federation for combat sports. But what does it bring you as an athlete, gym owner, promoter or official? Mainly advantages, is the expectation.

Structure
There will soon be one single federation for kickboxing, Thai boxing and MMA. There will be a general board, with three sections beneath it: kickboxing, Thai boxing, and mixed martial arts. These sections will have their own boards and will deal specifically with their own branch of the sport. These section boards will have their own representation on the general board. The section boards will be made up of people from the combat sports sector who therefore know the sports well.

The federation, and the sections within it, will be supported by a federation office that will carry out the day-to-day work.

The current officials of the covenant partners will become part of this new federation. Particularly in the supervision of events, they will be the faces of the new organisation. Promoters can still continue to work with the officials they have always worked with. Engaging the officials and the administrative handling will run through the federation.

Please note: this is an outline of the intended organisation, it has not yet been fixed. Elements of it will be changed, also because the federation itself will decide on the precise arrangement.

Freedom of choice
The current official teams must be able to continue working in their current composition, if they wish. Officials who prefer to work in varying compositions can indicate that as well. Promoters who like to work with a particular team of officials will also be able to continue working with the officials of their choice, if they are available. For both officials and promoters, freedom of choice will be as wide as possible, so not much will change compared with the current situation.

Insurance for officials, ring doctors and athletes at last
At present, little to nothing has been arranged regarding the liability of officials and ring doctors. It is only a matter of time before a serious accident occurs in the ring in which an official or ring doctor is held liable for allegedly failing to intervene properly. If liability is poorly arranged, this can have lifelong consequences. Preventing this has the highest priority. With one single federation, a collective liability insurance can be taken out. Alongside this insurance, a secondary health insurance for athletes is possible. If an athlete has insufficient treatments covered by their own insurance during rehabilitation, for example, this can be called upon.

Rules of the game
Over the past decades, dozens of combat sports organisations and promotions have drawn up their own rules. This did not help clarity. All too often, neither athletes nor spectators knew exactly which rules applied. The new federation will have an arbitration committee of officials that will set rules per discipline (kickboxing, Thai boxing and MMA) for amateurs and for professionals. At professional level, tailored arrangements will remain possible in consultation. By placing the authority with a strong body of officials, we prevent official teams from being played off against each other by promoters in order to cut costs or apply certain rules, for example. The federation will also organise knowledge days for all officials. There, everyone can meet regardless of their background and exchange experiences.

More support for athletes
Recognition by NOC*NSF (the Dutch Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation) has advantages for many athletes. As with any other sport, a national programme can now also be set up for combat sports to support top talent. Elite sport status means more opportunities to cover costs and to combine education with a competition programme. But also support from nutritionists and specialist strength training. Support can be provided for participation in international tournaments. Selection for international tournaments can be based more on sporting quality and be less dependent on who you know and what you can pay yourself. For this, a genuine national ranking can also be drawn up for the first time, using the Fightpassport system. For the first time there will also be national policy to promote combat sports as a grassroots sport and to make it more accessible. Active links will also be sought with physical education in schools. In addition, there will be support for the development of disability sport in our sector.

Affordability
An important aim of the federation is to make the sport as accessible as possible. As a young athlete taking part in events run by various federations that use paper competition booklets, you quickly spend at least around 50 to 60 euros a year. The membership fee for the new federation will be lower, and that will be the only federation you have to pay for. As a member you will also receive many benefits you do not have now, such as insurance, a place in the ranking, discounts on (combat sports) products from partners of the federation, all information about upcoming events in the Netherlands, and much more.

More scope for promoters
Recognition by NOC*NSF strengthens the credibility of and confidence in combat sports. This means that municipalities will be less reluctant when someone wants to organise an event. For many municipalities, affiliation with NOC*NSF is a condition for qualifying for the so-called community rates for renting facilities. This can make hall rental cheaper for grassroots sport. And commercial promoters may notice that a recognised sport is also more attractive to larger sponsors and to more media.

Gym owners
If, as a combat sports gym, you want your students to take part in competitions and you want an overview of the full range of events, at present you really have to keep in contact with all nine covenant partners that supervise events. Soon you will have one federation under which all events are brought together. That gives you a complete overview straight away. Everyone will work with the same rules, under the same conditions, with one national ranking. Your top talents will receive more support. Do you also want to offer combat sports for people with a disability? Support will be available for this too. Moreover, a federation in which all of combat sports is united will have a much stronger position towards politics. This makes it possible to better represent the interests of sports entrepreneurs. For example, when compensation for rising energy costs is discussed, or in a situation such as a coronavirus crisis. Some gyms will also become eligible for community rental rates from municipalities, which some municipalities apply to sports affiliated with NOC*NSF. Many gyms already work with municipalities and schools on community projects. From a single federation, more support can be offered for this and it can be expanded more easily.

Launch of the new federation
The expectation is that the new organisation will be established on 1 January 2024. In the coming months it will be determined when the new federation will become fully operational across the board. Promoters, matchmakers, officials, ring doctors, gym owners and athletes will be informed in good time about practical changes.

The future of the VA
The VA (Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit, the Dutch combat sports authority) will remain active as regulator. The federation tasks the VA currently performs because there is as yet no federation will be transferred to the federation. This concerns the quality mark for combat sports gyms, the Fightpassport and the licences for promoters and matchmakers. A number of committees will also transfer to the new federation. The same applies to the Athletes' Council (Sportersraad), the disciplinary committee and the subject of doping.

If you would like to put forward ideas or ask questions, you can contact the transition manager of the federation, Jan Willem Landré, at janwillem@jwdv.nl