'New Sports Act threatens the survival of 600 swimming schools'

HILVERSUM, 7 June 2022 – A new private member's bill from the VVD aimed at introducing stricter rules for swimming instruction in the Netherlands threatens the survival of 600 commercial swimming schools and swimming lessons for 100,000 children.

 That is the warning issued by the Dutch Foundation for Water and Swimming Safety (NSWZ). Under the new bill put forward by VVD MP Rudmer Heerema — which the foundation says can count on the support of Minister for Long-Term Care Conny Helder and the SP — swimming pools would have to meet minimum size requirements and a single nationally recognised swimming diploma would be introduced. This would mean that many commercial swimming schools could no longer use their own pool and would also lose the income from selling their own swimming diplomas. 

 The NSWZ opposes the proposed Sports Act in order to preserve a broad approach to swimming instruction going forward. "The great fear is that this law will strip the swimming sector of market competition. Not only is this illegal, it would also set the swimming sector, swimming quality and swimming safety back some 40 years," says NSWZ chair Shiva de Winter. "As a result, not only will ordinary children be left without swimming lessons, but so will children who need extra attention. This group can only turn to swimming schools."

 The minister has called on all parties in the sector to meet on 8 June in Amersfoort to discuss the new law. The NSWZ has since engaged lawyer Bart Maes. On 8 June he will attend on behalf of the NSWZ, together with chair De Winter, to explain the disastrous consequences of the plan. "Every child has the right to appropriate swimming lessons. That is why we urgently need both public and commercial partners in the swimming sector to work together on what should really be the priority: swimming safety for everyone," says De Winter.

 The swimming sector is a free market. Alongside subsidised organisations affiliated with the Nationale Raad Zwemveiligheid, there are therefore several commercial players. These parties — including NSWZ, ENVOZ, ZON, Dutch LifeGuard and EasySwim — account for a third of the sector and ensure healthy competition.

The commercial swimming schools and pools award their own diploma provider's diplomas. Their lesson programmes are built around their own diploma requirements. Children taught by these lesson providers are prepared for their swimming diploma differently from the usual approach, but not to a lower standard. Assessment then takes place in their own pool or in a pool rented from sports facilities, hotels or care centres. The Nationale Raad Zwemveiligheid is the only body that sets a requirement for the minimum size of the pool. Should this become a national standard, as the NRZ claims, hundreds of swimming schools would be plunged into difficulty, both financially and in terms of capacity. They would then be unable — and no longer allowed — to hold their diploma assessments in their usual pool, while there is no capacity elsewhere. "This way, all competition for the NRZ would vanish in one fell swoop. A convenient way of finally sticking it to your competitors," says De Winter.

 According to the NSWZ, introducing a single type of swimming diploma is also a sword of Damocles hanging over the sector. De Winter: "It is the same as flattening every form of primary education into a single type of schooling. This is disastrous for the future of swimming lessons. Swimming schools will disappear, waiting lists will grow longer, fewer children will earn their swimming diploma, and swimming safety will come under even greater pressure whatever happens. We cannot and will not let this happen."