Lightsaber dueling officially recognized as competitive sport in France
The lightsaber has officially joined the ranks of the foil, epee, and saber in France.
In a move sure to please "Star Wars" fans, the French Fencing Federation officially recognized lightsaber dueling as a competitive sport Monday, according to John Leicester of The Associated Press.
The lightsabers are LED-lit, rigid polycarbonate replicas of those wielded by characters in the movie franchise, with some of the more expensive versions equipped with a chip that emits an electric rumble noise. Bouts last three minutes.
"With young people today, it's a real public health issue. They don't do any sport and only exercise with their thumbs," said Serge Aubailly, secretary general of the French Fencing Federation. "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."
Lightsaber dueling: Some basic rules. pic.twitter.com/GNEKH5jPJg
— John Leicester (@johnleicester) February 18, 2019
Fencing clubs in France are now being equipped with lightsabers and instructors are being trained, though Leicester notes that the sport won't have a place in the Paris 2024 Olympics.