Urban sports like freestyle BMX are moving into the mainstream following Olympic inclusion ©Getty Images

As sports like skateboarding, freestyle BMX, sport climbing, and surfing prepare to appear to make their second Olympic appearance at Paris 2024 and breaking heads towards its debut in the French capital, those involved have been tasked with how to manage urban sport's transition from alternative to mainstream.

There is an awareness that these sports have to strive to be in the Olympics to continue their development and accept the regulations that come with being in the event while remaining keeping their anti-establishment roots.

"This new balance has to be relevant," said Pierre Fratter-Bardy, IOC head of strategy and development, at the Urban Sports Summit here in Montpellier.

"The Tokyo Olympics was the tipping point, a true revolution, and this continuing evolution is fascinating.

"Hurricane [the organiser of FISE], this is advice but also conception and the insurance to respect the codes of each sport."

As urban sports move into the forefront, thanks to the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) eagerness to attract the younger crowd that is synonymous with them, there are fears that they could lose touch with their values of "freedom, creativity, and community," according to Pierre André Senizergues, founder and chief executive of skateboarding apparel brand Etnies.

Key stakeholders met at the Urban Sports Summit in Montpellier to discuss the
Key stakeholders met at the Urban Sports Summit in Montpellier to discuss the "transition from core to mainstream" ©Hurricane - FISE

"The FISE is born from the willingness to bring all of these disciplines in city centres and to the public.

"We want to share them but we want to remain core.

"We got closer to the International Federations to be more legitimate and get more exposure.

"It implied new regulations for our sports, but also a great opportunity to show them to the world.

"Values are really important.

"We share all these sports at the same location in a free access.

"Cohesion is essential."

At Paris 2024, urban sports will play a big part, highlighted by the designation of an "urban sports village" at the iconic La Concorde.