Have we got some good news for you, Star Wars fans! France has now officially recognized lightsaber dueling as a sport by the French Fencing Federation.
The federation took this decision in order to make fencing more appealing to the younger generations, while making sure that the rules of the sport won’t take from its on-screen eccentricity.
“With young people today, it’s a real public health issue. They don’t do any sport and only exercise with their thumbs,” Serge Aubailly, the federation’s secretary general was quoted as saying. “It’s becoming difficult to (persuade them to) do a sport that has no connection with getting out of the sofa and playing with one’s thumbs. That is why we are trying to create a bond between our discipline and modern technologies, so participating in a sport feels natural.”
Of course, you absolutely cannot participate if your weapon is not illuminated, for one thing. Another rule states that your lightsaber has to be made out of polycarbonate – so no limb cutting for you guys, sorry.
Even so, the duelists will still be required to wear masks and armor in order to avoid being harmed.
Some other bits and bobs have been adapted to the lightsaber style of fighting. For example, the point of the lightsaber has to go behind each fighter before they can attempt a hit, for example.
This rule was set in place so duelists can re-create the large sweeps we’re used to seeing in the Star Wars movies, rather than rely on the stabbing motions that are more typical of traditional fencing.
Other than that, the rules are pretty much the same you’d encounter with typical fencing.
Will we see lightsaber duels during the Olympics any time soon? Probably not, but it looks like some brave souls are paving the way for the Force regardless.
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