7 2
Drum: SPORTIVE
However, it seems that Nike and Toyota don’t mind
living a little dangerously these days in pursuit of
the fruits of their advertising spend. Both companies
have featured Foucan and many of his signature
Parkour moves in European television ads.
Nevertheless, interest in the sport is growing rapidly.
Exact figures are hard to come by since there are
currently no leagues, competitions or official
associations, but there is already talk of making
Parkour an Olympic sport. If the numbers of new
web sites is anything to go by, this new Parkour
craze could soon make Foucan a very rich man
indeed. If he plays his cards right, that is. I wanted
to know just what money and fame would mean to
the man they call, Mister Parkour, and walked
smack-bang into a rift between two old friends, and
the ensuing battle between commercialism and
spirituality.
“Learning something step-by-step, a
human being can achieve amazing
things.”
“If Parkour becomes an Olympic sport I can’t say
it’s bad,” says Foucan, “but for me it’s not my way.
This is for other people. My goal is not to make
Parkour a competitive sport but to make more and
more people understand Parkour like they
understand Tai Chi. Tai Chi is not Olympic, but
it is a discipline. I’d like everybody to practise this
discipline, Parkour, in their own way, at their own
level, but competition, with winners and prizes is
totally opposite to my goal.”
Born out of childhood play between Foucan and his
former friend David Belle, Parkour’s journey from
Parisian roots in the suburbs of Lisses to its present
status as arguably the most compelling new sport in
decades, has not been without its trials and
tribulations. After appearing on Channel 2 TV in
France, Foucan and Belle formed a group called
Yamakazi with people they had inspired along the
way. The word, ‘yamakazi’ comes from the Lingala
language, mostly used in Zaire and Congo, and
means ‘strong body, strong spirit, strong man’. It is
an equally apt description of Foucan and his ideals
for Parkour as a discipline.