hoe een tennisclub in amsterdam dreigt te bezwijken onder juridische strijd
Amsterdam, vrijdag, 6 februari 2026.
een jarenlang geschil tussen tenniskring ddv en beheerder ita over het complex aan de zuidas loopt uit de hand. leden zien hun sportaccommodatie wegzakken in chaos. de kern van de twist? huurprijzen, gebrek aan transparantie en een diepe vertrouwensbreuk. zelfs mededinging werd geschorst tijdens de hoorzitting. de rechter noemde het een absurd juridisch festijn voor een vrijwilligersclub. uiteindelijk werd mediation opgelegd. de kans bestaat dat beide partijen nog jaren aan elkaar gekoppeld blijven. de echte winnaars tot nu toe? advocaten.
escalating tensions at the tennis complex
The relationship between tenniskring DDV and the International Tennis Club Amsterdam (ITA) has deteriorated significantly over recent years. Members of DDV, which represents players who rent courts and participate in competitions, have raised concerns about rising rental fees and unmet agreements regarding facility maintenance [1]. The ITA manages the grounds behind the Olympic Stadium and oversees operations. Growing mistrust led to internal disputes among supervisory board members, contributing to instability within the organization [1].
boardroom conflict triggers legal action
Tensions escalated when Eelco Derks, chairman of the supervisory board, suspended fellow commissioners Victor Frequin and Carolien Friedman from their oversight roles at ITA [1]. The remaining three commissioners—Derks, Tjeerd Glastra, and Rob Rappange—argued that Frequin and Friedman showed bias toward DDV, worsening relations rather than resolving them [1]. This internal split prompted formal disciplinary measures and ultimately resulted in a court hearing at the Enterprise Chamber on Thursday, February 5, 2026 [1]. The session lasted five hours, running from 15:00 to 20:00 CET [1].
court intervenes in volunteer sports dispute
During the hearing at the Enterprise Chamber, judges expressed astonishment at the extent of legal involvement surrounding what is essentially a volunteer-run sports association [1]. With numerous lawyers present, the proceedings were described as overly juridified for such a setting [1]. The court emphasized the need for dialogue and ordered mandatory mediation between the parties [1]. As part of the interim resolution, Frequin and Friedman may resume their duties as supervisors, while Derks indicated willingness to step down as chairperson if necessary [1].
shared ownership complicates resolution
Both DDV and ITA hold approximately 45 percent stakes in the joint entity managing the tennis facilities, with additional shares held by private investors [1]. This balanced but fragmented ownership structure limits unilateral decision-making and increases dependency between the factions [1]. Despite ongoing disagreements over access, costs, and maintenance responsibilities, the court ruled that both groups remain structurally bound to each other [1]. Resolving underlying trust issues will be essential to restoring stable operations at the Zuidas location [1].
members caught in institutional paralysis
Regular users of the tennis complex face growing uncertainty due to prolonged administrative deadlock [1]. DDV chairwoman Eveline Bijlmer reported having resorted to audio-recording meetings after finding official minutes inaccurate or incomplete [1]. Member dissatisfaction has increased amid fears of declining service quality and financial mismanagement [1]. While mediation offers a path forward, progress depends heavily on cooperation between conflicting leadership figures—an outcome that remains uncertain despite judicial pressure [1].