IPTC Parkour Development Department

Recent Milestones:

-2020 Holds virtual IPF Annual Congress with representatives of 50+ nations attending
-2020 Holds IPF Extraordinary Congress to vote on MoU with Obstacle Sports
-2020 IPF signs MoU with Obstacle Sports to explore cooperative initiatives
-2020 IPF holds Americas Congress (North, Central, South America)
-2020 IPF Africa Cup (virtual competition)
-2020 IPF Asia Cup (virtual competition)
-2020 Establishes IPF Peace Through Parkour office In Athens, Greece
-2021 In cooperation with IPTC (International Professional Training Certification), launches virtual educational seminars and Parkour instructor and Parkour Judge certifications
-2021 Signs MoU with Yoga and Sport for Refugees, based in Athens, Greece
-2021 Launches cooperation with Federation Internationale du Sport pour Tous (FISpT – Intl Sport for All Federation)
-2021 -Creates IPF Para-Parkour Committee

History of IPF
IPF – International Parkour Federation
In 2014, the founders of WFPF filed not-for-profit incorporation papers for a new organization, the International Parkour Federation, a true world governing body for Parkour to facilitate the formation of National Parkour Federations (NF’s) and to empower local leaders to grow their communities.

Building on the relationships that WFPF had established over nearly a decade of service to Parkour communities in 70+ countries, IPF began the process of bringing together grassroots leaders with established sports governance professionals to create Parkour associations and recognized Federations in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America (see list of member countries on the homepage: https://internationalparkourfederation.org .) IPF has also facilitated the creation of the Asia Freerunning Parkour Union (AFPU), the continental body for Parkour in Asia, as well as the West Asia Freerunning Parkour Union.

IPF regularly sponsors and sanctions competitive and non-competitive events large and small around the world, including the 2016 and 2017 WFPF World Parkour Championship (WPC) “Jump Off” in Las Vegas, the 3-Run Family Jam/Jump-Off in the UK in September 2017, the World Parkour Championship in Mardin, Turkey (and 1st IPF Congress) in May 2018, and the USA Parkour Cup in Tampa, FL in January 2018, 2019 and 2020.

IPF’s influence as a force for positive social impact through Parkour is demonstrated in its global initiatives such as Peace through Parkour, which recognizes and works with Parkour leaders in conflict zones who are using Parkour to bring hope and empowerment to youth-at-risk. Recipients of our 2019 and 2020 Peace through Parkour Award, Zahid Shah and Qudrat Frotan respectively have worked with thousands of young students in their native countries of Kashmir and Afghanistan, offering a positive path forward to countless youth in these war-torn regions.

In June 2021, IPF established a Para-Parkour committee chaired by renowned Costa Rican Para-Athlete and advocate Andres Fontana, with the goal of including events for Para-Athletes in all events, whether competitive or educational.

IPF is committed to Parkour education worldwide and offers full or partial scholarships for teaching certifications to qualified students with financial hardships. In July 2017, IPF sponsored a Certification workshop in Bangkok, Thailand in cooperation with IPTC (International Professional Training Certification) with students attending from five countries across Asia. In support of IPF’s commitment to Gender Equality, included among these students were two women from the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In June 2017, representatives of IPF, including WFPF Founders David Thompson, Ryan Doyle and Victor Bevine were invited to a meeting at GAIFS in Lausanne, Switzerland to review IPF’s pending application with an eye towards approval for GAISF’s “observer” status.

IPF believes in maintaining an ongoing dialogue with all people of goodwill who have an interest in Parkour so long as the full autonomy of Parkour is respected. Parkour is a unique sport with a history going back to 1902 and a rich culture all it’s own and must never become a “discipline” of any other sport.

Everyone in the world of sport agrees that the future of Parkour is bright. Parkour practitioners and leaders around the world should feel extremely proud and optimistic about the amazing movement and philosophy of transformation and service that together we are bringing to the world. IPF remains open to partnership with all Parkour organizations and federations who share the goal of bringing together the world’s many Parkour communities from a place of equality and mutual respect.

IPF is proud to be recognized by GUIDESTAR, an organization that connects donors and grantmakers to qualified non-profits, revolutionizing philanthropy and encouraging charitable giving through transparency and collaboration.

https://www.guidestar.org/profile/47-2944977

IPF- Strive Together!