If you've ever role-played with a lightsaber, it turns out you were really training for a future sport.
According to the Associated Press (via ESPN), the French Fencing Federation has recognized the Star Wars weapon as an official tool for the sport, joining the Olympic-approved blades of foil, epee and sabre.
The swords in question are LED-lit, rigid polycarbonate lightsaber replicas, but they still provide the same effect for fans of the movie franchise even if they can't actually slice off a person's hand.
As the federation's secretary general Serge Aubailly explained, the rule changes are a way to motivate young people to participate.