VA workshop at Centre for Safe Sport congress: the quality mark as an opportunity

The Centre for Safe Sport of NOC*NSF organised a congress on recognising transgressive behaviour in sport and making it possible to discuss. The VA gave a workshop on how a quality mark for sports facilities can contribute to a safe sporting environment.

Congress participants included athletes, administrators, volunteers, staff and confidential counsellors from sports organisations, as well as policy officers from municipalities and the police. During this day at the Papendal sports centre, the position and perspective of the athlete were central.

Through various interactive workshops and athletes' stories, participants could explore a range of themes around transgressive behaviour. One of the workshops was given by Julian Huijsse of the VA office. He explained how the Keurmerk Vechtsportautoriteit (the VA quality mark) contributes to athletes' safety.

Because more and more people in the Netherlands take part in sport outside the classic club structure, it is a challenge for many sports to bind everyone to agreements and codes of conduct. In combat sports, the Fightpassport and the Keurmerk Vechtsportautoriteit play an important role in this. By applying for the quality mark for combat sports gyms, a gym commits itself to the associated norms and values. It will have to actively address transgressive behaviour, among other things by referring to the confidential counsellors for combat sports.

Huijsse explained how the quality mark was developed and how support for it was built. The latter was achieved partly by making the quality mark not only a ‘stick’ to punish misconduct, but by giving it a positive charge as well. The quality mark is an opportunity for gyms to distinguish themselves positively, it earns gyms positive media attention, municipalities reward holders with trust, and it gives athletes (and their parents) something to go on when choosing a good gym.