Parkour/Freerunning officially recognised as a sport

The UK has become the first country in the world to officially recognise Parkour/Freerunning as a sport, and as a brand working with Sebastien Foucan and his Academy, we are extremely proud to be sharing this journey with them.

Content taken from Parkour UK:

 https://www.facebook.com/ParkourUK / https://twitter.com/ParkourUK

The UK has become the first country in the world to officially recognise Parkour/Freerunning as a sport, after the Home Country Sports Councils approved Parkour UK’s application for recognition of the sport and the National Governing Body.

The recognition of Parkour/Freerunning as a sport & Parkour UK as the National Governing Body (NGB) by the Home Country Sports Councils – Sport England , Sport Wales, Sportscotland, Sport Northern Ireland and UK Sport follows completion of the UK recognition process by Parkour UK.

Parkour UK began the formal recognition process in March 2013, with the pre application for recognition approved in March 2014. The full application for recognition was submitted in August 2015 and was recommended for approval by the UK Recognition Panel in Dec 2015. During 2016 the Boards of the Home Country Sports Councils approved the full application for recognition, with the final confirmation of recognition being confirmed in October 2016.

Today (Tuesday, January 10, 2017), the @Department Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Sports Minister – Tracey Crouch MP, alongside the President of Parkour UK and a founder of Parkour/Freerunning, Sebastien Foucan announced the formal recognition of Parkour/Freerunning as a sport and Parkour UK as the recognised NGB for the sport in the UK.

Minister for Sport, Tracey Crouch, said: “I want people to get out there and find the sport and physical activity that appeals to them and Parkour is certainly a fun, creative and innovative option. I am pleased that it has been recognised as a sport, giving it the platform for further growth in this country, with Parkour UK as its governing body. The sport promotes movement and using the great outdoors as a space to get active in and I encourage people to don their trainers and give it a go.”

President of Parkour UK, Sebastien Foucan, said: “This is brilliant recognition for a discipline that started off as child’s play with my friends almost 30 years ago. The beauty of Parkour/Freerunning is that everyone, of all ages, can do it respectfully in almost any environment. We celebrate activity and playfulness whilst constantly challenging our mental and physical limits. It is more than just jumping, it is a health driven way of life.”

Director of Sport at Sport England, Phil Smith (for and on behalf of the Home Country Sports Councils) said:
“As the number of people involved in regular sport and physical activity continues to grow, choice becomes increasingly important. Parkour has already been offering something different for a few years now, but what recognition means is that Parkour UK is taking responsibility for its organisation. The safety and enjoyment of those taking part is paramount, so congratulations to Parkour UK on achieving the standards and showing their ambition to grow even further.”