Skateboarding’s reputation changes 180 degrees as it reaches Paris

Skateboarding was once seen as a pastime for layabouts and homeless people, but its reputation has quickly changed since the sport was included in the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.

The sport attracted a much-needed younger audience when it made its Olympic debut in 2021, prompting organizers to decide to host the sport at the Paris Olympics and the 2028 homecoming celebrations in Los Angeles.

That’s a far cry from the 1980s and 1990s, when sidewalk surfers were considered a nuisance by many and were banned from many public places in the United States. This led to the rise of the popular protest slogan, “Skateboarding is not a crime.”