Citing external support, UIPM vows to move forward with change to modern pentathlon

As the dialogue continues regarding a new discipline for modern pentathlon, which would replace horse riding after the Paris 2024 Games, the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) says they’ve received overwhelming support of their decision.

Citing official letters of support from national federations and their leaders, as well as the backing from all six of UIPM’s confederations, they are moving forward to seek an alternative to riding.

“The wave of support demonstrates the difficult decision to seek an alternative to riding is the right one,” the UIPM said in a statement. “We will launch a more globally accessible and sustainable era for modern pentathlon after Paris 2024, without discrimination for any country, region or social class. This is a necessary and positive development for our sport.”

Last Friday the UIPM held a conference call with current modern pentathlon athletes to get their feedback about the decision and express any concern or disagreement they had. On November 4 the UIPM informed all athletes of the Executive Board’s decision to replace horse riding. No replacement discipline has been named.

Naturally not all athletes are in agreement with the decision which led to a spirited dialogue during last week’s conference call. The Modern Pentathlon Association of Denmark called for UIPM to reverse their decision, called horse riding “integral to the sport of modern pentathlon.”

Former modern pentathlete Kate Allenby who won a bronze medal for Great Britain at the Sydney 2000 Games said any move to replace horse riding would be a “disaster for the sport. It’s not modern pentathlon if it hasn’t got riding in it.”

Despite the opposing viewpoints UIPM President Klaus Schormann said the organization is committed to the change, and stated the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will not accept any modern pentathlon bid for Los Angeles 2028 which includes horse riding as one of the five disciplines.

The UIPM mentioned not only the support of national federations and the six confederations in the statement; they cited several former athletes who agree with the UIPM’s decision.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Andrey Moiseev of Russia said, “We should definitely give other generations the opportunity to participate in the Olympics. Unfortunately, there is no other solution to this issue. I hope with the replacement of show jumping our sport will become fairer and fairer to the athletes around the world.”

A decision on which discipline will replace riding will come in the following year, but no specific time or date has been announced.

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