The FIG

Parkour can be seen as the art of overcoming obstacles. More exactly, "Parkour is the art of moving through both urban and natural environments, taking advantage of all the constructions and obstacles that were not originally created for this purpose," according to David Belle, founder and pioneer of the discipline that he launched in the '90s in L... isses, a suburb of Paris. At its base, Parkour is a training method that enables overcoming all forms of obstacles, both literally and figuratively. Over time it has inspired diverse sporting events, gaining many followers. This trend led the Founders of Parkour to consider competition as a good showcase for raising awareness of the discipline around the world. But for them, competition is not a goal in its own right. After initiation workshops at the 2016 Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway, sparked increased interest in the discipline, David Belle and his friend Charles Perrière, another pioneer of the discipline, had been seeking to obtain a formal recognition of Parkour to further its development. A connection was made with the FIG, a well-established federation within the Olympic movement. In the International Gymnastics Federation, the pioneers of Parkour found a trusted partner. FIG President Morinari Watanabe, himself a great admirer of the discipline, committed to giving them the autonomy necessary to respect Parkour's culture and philosophy. The cooperation comes even more naturally since several national Gymnastics federations affiliated with the FIG, already offer Parkour activities. Some provide their members training opportunities for the fun of it, while others organise obstacle course competitions at the national level. Since the green light was given by the FIG Executive Committee in February 2017 to develop the new sport, milestones have been marked at the speed of an obstacle course. With the support of David Belle and Charles Perrière, the FIG organized a first Parkour event on 28 May 2017 in Montpellier, France, in the framework of the ...Read More