Is it a big step from being in the House of Representatives on behalf of the Socialist Party to heading the Dutch Martial Arts Association? “Oh, that’s not so bad,” says Peter Kwint.
If he can be honest, first of all he sees a great similarity. “It’s both a matter of struggle.”
Jacket
The man who became famous as a politician in the Netherlands in 2018 when he was scolded by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Khadija Arib, for attending a debate wearing a T-shirt (“Mr. Kwint, where is your jacket?”) knows what he is getting into. He rowed against the tide on behalf of the SP for six years. The same fate awaits him as the president of a sports association that has been fighting against (biased) judgments since its establishment.
The image of Dutch kickboxing, Thai boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA), the three sports represented by the Dutch Martial Arts Association, needs to be improved. Kwint, 38, is the last person to deny this and also the first to provide a little nuance. “Fortunately, the situation is much better than it was ten years ago.”
Between 2017 and 2022, Kwint was associated with the Martial Arts Authority, which acted as a regulator focusing on cross-sport measures in difficult-to-regulate martial arts. A range of measures, from the introduction of digital competition booklets and licensing systems to monitoring the quality of martial arts schools, should bring clarity to the current chaos.
“At one point we were dealing with nineteen organizations. There was incredible spread. Anyone who can help an organizer find a set of doctors and officials can call themselves a club. In fact, anyone who organized their own event in their own gym had the right to declare the winner world champion at the end of the night.
With a healthy dose of sarcasm: “It’s great that people my age can win world championships like this. But of course this is not good for the image of the sport.”
Verhoeven
Nine of the nineteen federations ultimately fell under the umbrella of the Dutch Martial Arts Federation and are expected to officially join the national sport governing body NOC*NSF in 2024. According to Kwint, Rico Verhoeven’s support of the initiative is an advantage. And nothing more.
“The time when we were completely dependent on one or two big names is over. “The official presentation of the Dutch Martial Arts Association is actually the last part of a big change that we started a few years ago.”
The Netherlands currently has 19,000 athletes on so-called combat passports and approximately 450,000 recreational athletes attending certified martial arts schools. “I think this sport can bring so much more now that we have a national association with a clear structure,” says Kwint.
“Just joining NOC*NSF makes a big difference in prestige. The fact that according to the plan we will soon have an official Dutch champion per weight will also change a lot in terms of prestige. I hope…” The era when 28 different people could call each other is quickly over.”
This is perhaps an even bigger advantage, according to Kwint: anyone entering the arena under the banner of the Dutch Martial Arts Association will have to comply with national doping regulations in the future. “Beautiful. However, I am aware that not everyone in Dutch martial arts thinks the same way as I do.”
doping use
Between 2017 and 2022, when Kwint was a board member of the Dutch Martial Arts Authority (which served as an observer in the then unorganized kickboxing, Thai boxing and MMA), he was already hearing stories about large-scale doping in combat sports. “The use of banned stimulants has become almost commonplace. “For example, when it comes to conversations in the locker room, it turns out that it’s not taboo at all.”
“It’s not just used by the best in the world. The accountant, who is busy with his job but still wants to get into the ring, also takes the syringe. Because he wants to prepare in three months instead of the normal six months.” “It means.”
“Every sports association says they are against doping,” Kwint continues. “And that’s true. But there is an additional component for us: Once you artificially increase your strength, you become much stronger for the weight class you compete in. Then there’s a good chance you’ll cause significant damage.” It damages your less powerful opponent.
Kwint says this means that the Dutch martial arts association has an obligation to take a leading role. “There is no doubt that this sometimes leads to a positive test result. So be it. If you don’t want to hear it, you just have to feel it.”
Source: NOS
Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.
