‘Cool that we now have an association for e-sports’

Antoinette Laan, House of Representatives of the Netherlands member for the VVD and former Alderman in Rotterdam has been Chair of the Board of Erasmus Sport for two years now. She exercised here when she was a Public Administration student in the 1980s and 90s, particularly on the rowing machine, because she was a member of Skadi and was active as coxswain. She meets with the Board once a month in the sports building.

As House of Representatives of the Netherlands member, do you really have time to meet here on a Monday morning?

“The House of Representatives of the Netherlands meets from Tuesdays to Thursdays in The Hague. And on Mondays and Fridays you’re expected to mix in society, read documents and prepare yourself for your work in the House. We meet just once a month with the Erasmus Sport Board, so I can manage that easily if I plan things well. Moreover, I live just around the corner, in Kralingen.”

Why do VVD members always play a prominent role in Erasmus Sport?

“As liberal you focus on the individual, and many sports are all about the individual. Winston Churchill always said:‘If you want something done, ask somebody busy’. So, it’s logical to ask someone from your own network for such a role.”

Things are going well with Erasmus Sport: visitor figures are on the up, more and more sport cards are being sold, and there are plans for a new sports centre. As Board, how do you contribute to this success?

“We are certainly seeing an upward trend. But as Board, our role mainly involves monitoring. The employees form a strong and active team and Jon (de Ruiter, Director of Erasmus Sport, ed.) is a good figurehead within the university. What’s really clever is that Erasmus Sport shows that exercise is fun and is an important part of being a student at this university. That’s particularly true for internationals: exercise is simply part of it.”

What are the most important developments right now?

“The new-build is taking up a lot of attention and time and we now also need to consult with the Executive Board and the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. Our current focus is on how we can keep the level high and ensure that people keep coming to fitness, pole dancing, or whatever is ‘in’ at any given time.”

What do you think about Erasmus Sport latching on so keenly to all the exercise trends?

“Really smart. That’s why it’s so cool that we now have an association for e-sports: Within the Board we had a lot of discussion as to whether it’s a sport or not. But I have three sons aged 10, 13 and 15, so I know how serious gaming is.”