Parkour: The newest sport, for development?
Parkour, or free-running, can trace its origins to France in the 1980’s. The name derives from the French word ‘parcours’ meaning ‘route’ or ‘course’. Parkour is the "non-competitive physical discipline of training to move freely over and through any terrain using only the abilities of the body, principally through running, jumping, climbing and quadrupedal movement".
The urban pastime gained media exposure in 2004 through its use in the French movie District B13. Since then, Parkour has been a regular occurence in action movies, including the Jason Bourne and James Bond franchises. This has helped to raise the profile of the sport and increase participation. Being recognised as a sport in the UK means that the governing body, Parkour UK, can apply for Lottery funding. This source of funding has been one of the main contributors to the success of Team GB in recent Olympics. This can help Parkour grow as a sport in the UK, but is there now going to be more opportunities to develop Parkour-based development programmes?
Advantages
The biggest advantage of Parkour over other sports in a development context is that it requires no equipment. There is also no need to build infrastructure. The sport takes place in the urban environment and it is up to participants to plan their route. It is a non-discriminant and inclusive sport. More traditional sports tend to be male-dominated. The advantage of newer sports is they are more open to everyone – irrespective of gender, race or religion. This is a reoccurring theme in action sports and a big factor in their rise to prominence. It is what makes them so appealing to use in development programmes.
The nature of this sport is reliant on being fit. While it is easy for beginners to take part, the more adventurous participants need body strength to propel them through the urban jungle. There are similar physical requirements to many sports - the strength of gymnasts, the light-footedness of martial arts and the explosive power of athletics. In this respect, Parkour can help to contribute towards SDG 3: Good health and well-being.
Disadvantages
As with other action sports there can be dangers in participation. In the same way that skateboarding or surfing are seen as more dangerous than conventional sports, parkour has an element of risk. The parkour community argue that it is a safe sport if it is undertaken responsibly. However, it is when individuals neglect their training and go ‘off-piste’ that there have been instances of serious harm. A sport for development project using parkour would likely take place in a more controlled environment. This requires investment in coaching and facilities to ensure a safe learning environment – increasing the funding required for start-up projects.
To obtain ‘sport’ status, Parkour UK has ensured that they meet the safety guidelines expected of any governing body. This approach is in line with UK Government and European policy on health and safety. Through coaching practices, participants are taught to respect their environment and recognise their own boundaries. Training environments can be built to ensure safe practice areas and coaching standards are strictly focused on participant safety.
Parkour UK has the opportunity to use this new status as a springboard to greater interest and increased participation. It is always interesting to come up with new and innovative ways to use a variety of sports in development programmes. With increasing interest in the use of action sports in development programmes, might there be opportunities for parkour to be used in this context?
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