The message was sent in response to recent abuses in Ajax and The Voice. The letter states that everyone in Amsterdam should be able to exercise safely in a gym, and that awareness has been reinforced by the events in Ajax. Since people can now feel additional powers to inform the club’s confidential advisor, Kukenheim is calling on sports clubs to really be there for the sake of the victims in this case.
She wrote that the main message was to not look away, to be alert and to always report or discuss any signs of concern with someone within the club. It also noted the three basic requirements that have been mandatory since 1 January 2022 under the Amsterdam Sports Agreement.
Closer / Silent
For example, every coach working with young people or vulnerable groups must have a Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG) and must know, sign and act in accordance with the Code of Conduct for Coaches and Supervisors at the Safe Sports Center in the Netherlands. Clubs must also appoint a confidential counsel to whom members can refer with reports of infringing behavior or suspicions.
For chairs or board members who do not know exactly how to draw the attention of their members to this subject in a tactful manner, a sample letter has been sent. This states, among other things, that members who encounter forms of infringing behavior within the club can report it to a confidential advisor.
