IMMAF Member Relations Manager Roberto Reid visited the Dutch capital of Amsterdam. There he met with prominent figures of Dutch MMA to discuss filling the void left by the former Mixed Martial Arts Federation Netherlands, which was dissolved following the untimely passing of chairman Jan Kraayvanger last year, after his battle with leukaemia. The IMMAF delegate gained an in-depth understanding of Holland’s Mixed Martial Arts landscape, in which there are growing calls for a democratic governing body to be established, with support from the Dutch government, to govern MMA from the grass roots upwards at both a local and national level. Similarly to in France, Mixed Martial Arts competition is not illegal in Holland, but great difficulty can be faced in securing an event permit. IMMAF’s Member Relations Manager summarised the findings of his trip: “Re-establishing the Dutch MMA Federation is an important step towards securing the future of Mixed Martial Arts from grassroots level to the professional ranks in The Netherlands. The fact finding mission I undertook as part of my role as IMMAF Member Relations Manager allowed me to meet with a number of key figures within the country who all highlighted the importance of having a body in place to regulate the sport in the country. This would not only change the outdated perception of MMA but also combat sports in general, and would safeguard the future of MMA in the Netherlands. I left the country feeling very confident and I look forward to assisting them on their journey to re-join the IMMAF family.” With 47 nations already members of IMMAF, it is expected that this number will reach 50 by the start of 2016. Everyone at IMMAF looks forward to once again welcoming The Netherlands and together opening doors for greater progression of MMA in the country.]]>
