About
Parkour Earth is the International Federation for Parkour/Freerunning/Art du Déplacement.
As such, it will be the custodian of the philosophy, integrity, and sovereignty of the sport, art and/or discipline of Parkour/Freerunning/Art du Déplacement internationally for and on behalf of the international community.
It will also serve as the sole governing and administering body for the Parkour/Freerunning/Art du Déplacement internationally to protect the rights, freedoms and promote the interests of traceurs/traceuses, freerunners, practitioners, members & the international community.
Parkour Earth will comprise of and lead the international community from a platform of good governance, sound democratic process, and ethical conduct.
By the community, for the community.
Projects
What can an international federation look like when it is connected to and actually listens to the people it’s supposed to serve?
What can Parkour Earth be if the qualities of parkour itself, and the voice of the global community, are at its core?
We are undertaking a global engagement project to find that out, and make sure that the future of Parkour Earth is underpinned by the voice and vision of the community.
Learn more, and share your voice with us.
The Movement Card
The Movement Card is a research-based resource created to educate and inform all who have interactions with people moving in the public domain. The project started in Scotland through a collaboration between Parkour Outreach and Ukemi, and is now supported internationally by Parkour Earth to promote freedom of movement and support grassroots participation.
Members
The following National Parkour Federations are members of Parkour Earth:

Australian Parkour Association
Affiliate Member

Parkour South Africa
Affiliate Member

United States Parkour Association
Affiliate Member

Fédération de Parkour
Affiliate Member

Parkour UK
Full Member

Finnish Parkour Association
Full Member

Parkour NZ – Tauhōkai Aotearoa
Full Member

Polska Federacja Parkour I Freerun
Affiliate Member

Swiss Parkour Association
Affiliate Member
Join
We welcome any National Parkour Federations to join Parkour Earth. This includes:
- National Parkour Federations (both those recognised by government and those that aren’t).
- Communities trying to form a National Parkour Federation in a territory where there is no national federation or organisation recognised by and/or in membership with Parkour Earth.
We are working with national federations and communities around the world to help them understand the membership process, requirements, and how to set up a National Federation. We ask the international parkour community to hear our call to action to engage, support, shape and own Parkour Earth as your International Federation and to help lay the foundations for a deeper level of integrity, transparency, and good governance throughout our sport.
To begin the membership process, download and complete the Parkour Earth Membership Application and the Parkour Earth Membership Agreement.
We invite all interested communities to contact us with their interest and questions.
Parkour Earth Membership Levels:
- Full Member – A National Federation that is recognised as the Governing Body for their territory and granted full membership in the Federation but membership is restricted to one member per territory.
- Affiliate Member – A National Federation governing and/or administering the sport at national level. An Affiliate Member shall be entitled to voting rights, unless specifically provided for in the Articles, but membership is restricted to one member per territory.
- Associate Member – Organisations/community trying to form a national federation in a territory where there is no national federation organisation recognised by and/or in membership with the Federation. Associate Members shall not be entitled to voting rights, and their membership shall continue only until the next AGM when it shall be reviewed and if appropriate may then be renewed.
- Community Member – Organisations from nations who do not already have a higher tier Member of Parkour Earth and whose values align with those of Parkour Earth and wish to support the global community through a formal relationship with Parkour Earth. Community Members are not required to be, nor shall they be, a national federation, but they must be a legally recognised entity in their country. This is the only tier of membership for which Parkour Earth is able to recognise multiple members from a nation. Community Members shall not be entitled to voting rights.
What is Parkour Earth?
Parkour Earth is the International Federation for Parkour/Freerunning/Art Du Déplacement.
Why was Parkour Earth established?
Parkour Earth was established to protect the sovereignty and autonomy of Parkour/Freerunning/Art Du Déplacement internationally.
Who are the founding member National Federations of Parkour Earth?
Parkour Earth was founded by an accord between 6 National Federations on the 4th July 2017:
What is the role of Parkour Earth in the international community?
Parkour Earth will be the custodians of the philosophy, integrity and sovereignty of Parkour/Freerunning/ Art Du Deplacement internationally for and on behalf of the international community and be the sole governing and administering body for the sport internationally to protect the rights, freedoms and promote the interests of Traceurs/Traceuses, Freerunners, practitioners, members & the international community.
What are Parkour Earth's Objects, Values and Principles?
Our Objects, Values & Principles are fully defined in the Constitution. A summary of these are below:
The Objects include:
- To be the custodians of the philosophy, integrity and sovereignty of the Sport internationally for and on behalf of the international community.
- To protect the rights, freedoms and promote the interests of Traceurs/Traceuses, Freerunners, practitioners, members & the international community.
- To be the sole governing and administering body for the sport internationally.
- To comprise of national federations and/or organisations governing and/or administering the sport at national level.
- To encourage, support and promote national federations in individual countries, nations or territories not yet members of the Federation, where the sport is not yet nationally recognised to increase membership internationally and to encourage, support and promote the formation of national federations in individual countries, nations or territories where the Sport is not yet nationally organised.
The Values include:
- To ensure that the practice of the Sport in all its branches is a human right such that every human can have the possibility of freely practicing the Sport, without discrimination of any kind, within the spirit of friendship, solidarity, equality and fair play regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental ability, sexual orientation, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
- Where relevant, to develop the Sport beyond the sporting context including the promotion of sport for social change, sport for development and the arts.
- To be responsible for the development of non-competitive and/or competitive programmes at international level and where relevant to co-ordinate events nationally and/or internationally.
The Principles include:
- Good Governance – to encourage and support the promotion of and ensuring that principles of good governance be applied within and throughout the Sport.
- Autonomy – The autonomy of international sport is recognised as a fundamental principle and the Federation will take all appropriate measures to promote, preserve and protect the autonomy of the Sport internationally and The Federation shall provide Members complete autonomy in their own territory. It will have no part nor interfere in purely national issues unless such issues affect or undermine the objects, values and principles the international image and/or the international status of the Sport and/or the Federation in any way.
Who can join Parkour Earth?
National Federations (both those recognised by government and those that aren’t) and organisations/communities trying to form a National Federation in a territory where there is no national federation or organisation recognised by and/or in membership with Parkour Earth.
Membership Levels (as recorded in the Constitution):
- Full Member – A National Federation that is recognised as the Governing Body for their territory and granted full membership in the Federation but membership is restricted to one member per territory.
- Affiliate Member – A National Federation governing and/or administering the sport at national level. An Affiliate Member shall be entitled to voting rights, unless specifically provided for in the Articles, but membership is restricted to one member per territory.
- Associate Member – Organisations/community trying to form a national federation in a territory where there is no national federation organisation recognised by and/or in membership with the Federation. Associate Members shall not be entitled to voting rights, and their membership shall continue only until the next AGM when it shall be reviewed and if appropriate may then be renewed.
- Community Member – Organisations from nations who do not already have a higher tier Member of Parkour Earth and whose values align with those of Parkour Earth and wish to support the global community through a formal relationship with Parkour Earth. Community Members are not required to be, nor shall they be, a national federation, but they must be a legally recognised entity in their country. This is the only tier of membership for which Parkour Earth is able to recognise multiple members from a nation. Community Members shall not be entitled to voting rights.
We are working with national federations and communities around the world to help them understand the membership process, requirements, and how to set up a National Federation.
We invite all interested communities to contact us with their interest.
Is Parkour Earth recognised by any other international sporting organisations?
Parkour Earth is a member of Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA), an independent, neutral, and global body dedicated to the promotion and safeguarding of integrity, good governance, and ethical behaviour in sport.
What definition of 'Sport' does Parkour Earth recognise?
Parkour Earth recognises the Council of Europe definition of sport:
“Sport” means all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim at expressing or improving physical fitness and mental well-being, forming social relationships or obtaining results in competition at all levels
How does Parkour Earth define Parkour/Freerunning/Art Du Déplacement as a 'sport'?
Parkour Earth defines our sport as:
Parkour, Freerunning and/or Art Du Déplacement is the primarily non-competitive physical discipline of training that develops the ability to move freely over and through any terrain using only the body, principally through running, jumping, climbing and quadrupedal movement. In practice it focuses on developing the fundamental attributes required for such movement, which include functional strength and fitness, balance, spatial awareness, agility, coordination, precision, control and ceative vision
It is a sport that encourages self-improvement on all levels, revealing physical and mental limits while simultaneously offering ways to overcome them. It is a method of training body and mind in order to be as completely functional, effective and liberated as possible in any environment
The sport aims to build confidence, determination, self-discipline and self-reliance, and personal responsibility for actions. It encourages humility, respect for others and the environment, self-expression, community spirit, and the importance of play, discovery and safety at all times
This definition is the sporting definition and does not fully describe the art, discipline and/or philosophy as a whole. Beyond the sporting definition – Parkour, Freerunning and/or L’Art Du Déplacement is also a method of physical training that develops the ability to overcome obstacles both physical and mental. Underpinning this is a philosophy of altruism, longevity, self-improvement and self-understanding.
Although Parkour/Freerunning/Art Du Déplacement is a primarily non-competitive discipline, competitive practice is recognised as an element in the training practices of some communities and/or practitioners
Parkour Earth recognises and protects diversity and non-standardised practice, coaching, teaching and education as a strength and innate character of the international community
Parkour Earth as the International Federation for our sport has chosen to utilise the globally recognised term ‘Parkour’ within the name of the Federation to fully represent the sport, art and/or discipline of Parkour/Freerunning/Art Du Deplacement. However, it is recognised that there are sensitivities and nuances in language throughout the international community on the various names/terminologies utilised.
Board
The Board is nominated, elected or appointed by the Parkour Earth member federations.
Elected Directors
The elected directors are elected from the Member Federations. They have phased terms as detailed below and as fully detailed in Schedule 3 of the Constitution. They must retire and are then eligible for re-nomination at the corresponding AGM.

Janne Laurila
Elected Director (FIN)Janne’s parkour experiences have instilled in him a passion for architecture, such that he is currently studying to be a structural engineer. After graduation, Janne plans to develop outdoor environments that enable more creative movement.

Travis Ranson
Elected Director (AUS)
Chris Keighley
Elected Director (UK)Chris is currently the Elected Director for England with Parkour UK, and has been involved with Parkour UK in coaching and tutoring since it was founded. He is a senior coach with Parkour Generations and has 10 years of experience tutoring the ADAPT certifications around the globe. He started parkour after seeing the seminal documentary Jump London and became inspired to see what his body was capable of with the London and wider UK parkour community. He has a degree in Political Science and a background in teaching steel pans before focusing on coaching parkour.
Independent Directors & CEO

Stephen Sampson
Independent Chairman (UK)Stephen Sampson is the head of the London Litigation Practice and of the Sports & Entertainment Industry Group at the law firm Squire Patton Boggs. His expertise covers commercial, regulatory, governance and contentious work, for clients in the sports, media, entertainment and advertising sectors. Stephen is noted in the legal directories as a leading practitioner in the sports sectors.
Stephen is resident in London and is married with four children.

Mathew D'Onofrio
Independent Director (AUS)At 17 Mathew launched his first startup, Nightlife First Aid, a first aid service dedicated to creating safe partying environments. Mathew has since gained extensive knowledge in business and entrepreneurship and has undertaken a range of roles in various industries to further advance his knowledge and experience.

Mikkel Rugaard
Independent Director (DNK)Mikkel has been involved with parkour since 2005, growing up with the ethos and values of, and a close personal relationship to, the Yamakasi founders. He has a physical education degree and a master’s in architecture and industrial design. From 2009 until 2020, Mikkel was the co-owner and CEO of Danish parkour organisation Street Movement. He has been essential to the development of ‘parkour design’, co-authoring the European Standard for parkour equipment and developing and implementing many groundbreaking parkour spaces himself. He has also contributed significantly to coaching in Denmark, including incorporating parkour into the school curriculum.
Mikkel is deeply involved in sports politics, being a former board member of the Danish Institute for Sports Studies and a co-creator of the Danish National Platform for Street Sports. Mikkel now runs his own design studio focusing on spaces and objects for the moving human body. He still moves, being a firm believer that the lived experience is essential to the quality of his process and designs.

Dr Damien Puddle
Chief Executive (NZL)Damien discovered parkour in 2008 at the beginning of his sports studies. He quickly gained a passion for academic research and using those findings to benefit the parkour and wider community. He brings a wealth of experience to Parkour Earth, being a founding member and current CEO of Parkour NZ since 2013, and completing his PhD in mid-2019 on the topic of globalisation and parkour.
He is passionate about parkours transformative powers and looks forward to supporting and providing opportunities for the world’s diverse community of practitioners.
Policies
Code of Conduct
Conflict of Interest
Gifts, Bribery, and Hospitality
Constitution
Below you can explore Parkour Earth’s Constitution (Memorandum & Articles of Association), the clear, practical and proportionate system that underpin the International Federation.
It includes our Objects, Values & Principles, as well as which setting out what the International Federation can do, who the members are and can be, how decisions are made and who is responsible for making it happen.
Use the guide on the right to help you read and understand the Constitution.
Parkour Earth Constitution
Tips for reading the Constitution
- The Constitution is a legal document and is required to use specific language.
- The Constitution is not a chronological document, thus the Memorandum of Association and the Articles of Association must be considered concurrently.
- The Constitution can be changed by the members at an Annual General Meeting (AGM) and/or a General Meeting.
- The Constitution can be independently verified by checking the public records held at Companies House in the UK relating to Parkour Earth.
- Download the pdf.
- If you want clarification on a particular clause, use the contact form below:
News
Paul Gray, Parkour Earth’s last transitional director, retires.
Paul Gray, Parkour Earth’s last transitional Elected Director has retired following the end of...
Parkour’s lack of inclusion in the Olympic programme one of many highlights at Parkour Earth AGM.
Parkour Earth held its AGM on December 8th via digital methods. The AGM, originally set for July was...
Letter to the IOC
Parkour Earth has today issued a letter to the IOC to petition the Executive Board to reject any sub...
Global Engagement 2020 Summary Report
In July this year, Parkour Earth announced its Global Engagement project, a series of online engagem...
Notice of Annual General Meeting 2020
As per our Memorandum & Articles of Association, 31.1 An AGM/General Meeting is to be...
Parkour Earth Appoints Mikkel Rugaard as Independent Director
Following an extended global public recruitment process, the Parkour Earth Board has appointed Mikke...