Parkour Governance Up in the Air - Federation Focus

(ATR) Parkour Earth escalates the years-long battle with the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) over the governance of parkour.

Parkour Earth sent a letter to the IOC on Tuesday calling for the Executive Board to reject any submission by the FIG to include Parkour on the Olympic program for Paris 2024. The Executive Board is meeting December 7 to decide which sports make the final cut.

Parkour is not currently in the Olympic program.

In the letter, Parkour Earth says parkour "has been recognized as a sovereign, distinct, and independent sport in its own right, and as such cannot be considered a discipline of, or subsidiary to, gymnastics or any other sport" and that Parkour Earth "is the International Federation for parkour federated by recognized National Parkour Federations.

"Unfortunately, FIG's encroachment and misappropriation of our sport continues."

Parkour Earth says communication with FIG, which began in November 2017, has so far left the matter unresolved.

It again has requested in its letter that the IOC support three key recommendations, including formally working with Parkour Earth as the legitimate IF for the sport.

CGF CoCom Virtual Review of Birmingham 2022

For a second straight time, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Coordination Commission will be receiving its latest updates on Birmingham 2022 preparations virtually.

The fifth CoCom will be a series of online sessions held on December 4-5 due to the ongoing travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The fourth CGF CoCom in June was also handled virtually.

CGF Vice President Bruce Robertson is the chair of the five-person group, which also includes Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) Executive Director Andrew Ryan, CGF Chief Operating Officer Darren Hall, Glasgow City Council Director of Governance and Solicitor to the Council Carole Forrest and Commonwealth Games Scotland Head of Games Operations Elinor Middlemiss.

"As we continue to operate in unprecedented times with the impacts of COVID-19, we are aware that Birmingham 2022 has been working tirelessly to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on their planning activities and the Games. We are impressed with the flexibility and resilience they have displayed," Robertson said in a statement.

"Since our last review in June, there has been significant progress and some exciting developments."

The CGF CoCom will outline their initial reflections of the review early next week.

World Rugby Loses its Chief Executive

World Rugby Chief Executive Brett Gosper will leave the international federation in January to become the head of NFL in Europe and the UK.

"It's been a fantastic nine years," said Gosper in a statement. "Rugby is a wonderful sport and World Rugby is a fantastic organization, and therefore it was a very difficult decision to leave, but with a new ambitious strategic plan set to launch and the strong foundations in place to drive the sport forward beyond the pandemic, the time is right for me to begin a new challenge."

World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont added: "Brett leaves World Rugby with the organization in a much stronger position then when he joined, and he should be very proud of what he has achieved working in partnership with our unions and regions, creating a more dynamic and efficient environment for the organization to drive positive, impactful change in the sport."

Chief Operating Officer Alan Gilpin will serve as interim Chief Executive between Gosper’s departure in January and the appointment of a full-time successor.

Gosper’s departure follows confirmation on Nov. 30 that the women’s edition of the Rugby World Cup will increase from 12 to 16 teams beginning with the 2025 tournament.

The process for awarding the 2025 and 2029 women’s and 2027 and 2031 men’s World Cups begins in February and concludes with the hosts for all four being chosen in May 2022.

Federation Focus is presented by the International Weightlifting Federation. Click here for more on the IWF.

Written by Gerard Farek

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