Ban on head contact for young fighters adjusted

The ban on punches and kicks to the head in youth combat sports bouts will be adjusted as of 1 January 2027. The greatly improved organisation and strict regulation of the combat sports sector make it possible to allow 16 and 17 year olds to make head contact under certain conditions. The Nederlandse Vechtsportbond (NVB, the Dutch combat sports federation) and the Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit (VA, the Dutch Combat Sports Authority) agreed on this after careful consultation.

When it was founded in 2017, the Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit banned all head contact in youth bouts up to the age of 18. This drastic measure was necessary because the combat sports sector was, at the time, highly fragmented and very weak in terms of organisation. This led to irresponsible situations in which children were hit on the head too often and too hard. The ban initially met with resistance, but support soon grew. More and more studies pointed to the risks, and awareness increased within combat sports as well. Meanwhile, a dialogue has emerged across the entire sports world about possible brain damage caused by impacts to the head, in which the combat sports sector plays an active role.

In recent years, the VA has brought the regulation and organisation of combat sports up to standard. With the arrival of the NVB came greater uniformity as well, for example in competition rules and in training for officials. This structural improvement led the combat sports sector to ask whether the time was right to adjust the ban on head contact. One of the reasons was an undesirable side effect of the total ban: young athletes go just across the border to fight with head contact, without restrictions and outside the supervision of the VA. An adjusted ban can remove the temptation to go elsewhere and bring young athletes back under Dutch supervision.

After careful consultation, including with the ringside doctors, the VA and the NVB concluded that there is room to let athletes aged 16 and 17 choose between bouts with or without head contact. Bouts with head contact will be supervised by specially trained officials. They will stop a bout early whenever safety requires it. Boxing gloves with extra padding will be used. Head contact will not be permitted at tournaments with several bouts in one day, in order to limit the impact. If bouts with head contact are chosen, parents or guardians must give their written consent. All details and answers to frequently asked questions will soon be available at www.nederlandsevechtsportbond.nl

The total ban suited the situation at the time. Now that regulation and safety safeguards have improved considerably, the ban can be adjusted under strict conditions. Bouts under the adjusted rules will be closely monitored and evaluated by the NVB and the VA, in close cooperation with the ringside doctors and specialised scientists. Even with the adjusted ban, combat sports remain a frontrunner in limiting head impact among children who play sport. The NVB and the VA will continue their constructive dialogue on this subject with the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) and NOC*NSF (the Dutch Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation), and share their experiences with sports federations that also want to take protective measures.