The International Modern Pentathlon Union has approved a motion to remove riding from modern pentathlon at the UIPM Congress, despite an ongoing Court of Arbitration for Sport case against the Board’s use of force majeure to make the decision.
A vote was held on ratifying the removal of riding – which could be replaced by an unnamed sport – during the Congress, with the motion passing 66-15.
The next step would see the UIPM submit a competition format to the International Olympic Committee for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles with a new discipline decided by members at the 2022 Congress.
The Olympic Programme Commission is scheduled to meet on Wednesday (December 1), with this meeting seeing recommendations being made to the IOC Executive Board, who are set to make a decision on the programme for Los Angeles 2028 at its meeting, scheduled from December 7 to 9.
This could all be undone, however, if CAS case against the UIPM’s force majeure on October 31 – in which the organisation made the decision on riding without debate from members – is upheld, forcing the process to go back to the start.
This case was submitted by the Danish Modern Pentathlon Association earlier this month.
It was added that the UIPM’s legal advisor said the decision could be taken because of force majeure as “events outside the control of the Board.”
This decision arose from a controversial series of events at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, with the sport being criticised over animal welfare following German coach Kim Raisner being sent home due to footage being found of them punching the horse Saint-Boy, which was one of those who refused to jump.
Germany’s Annika Schleu had been leading the competition before the riding stage when Saint-Boy pulled up.
More than 650 athletes, including Britain’s Tokyo 2020 champions Joe Choong and Kate French, declared they had no confidence in the UIPM President Klaus Schormann and the rest of the Executive Board, urging them to resign, prior to the Congress.
There was controversy over giving members the floor throughout the Congress, with opponents to the equestrian change – Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Hungary – reportedly being denied the chance to put their case forward.
Guatemala claimed it was modern pentathlon’s duty to support athletes who were unable to ride, while a delegate from Burundi added that it was difficult to practice riding in Africa.
Ukraine’s delegate spoke of the importance of riding and the necessity to follow the UIPM statutes, while Pentathlon GB chair David Armstrong said there were solutions to keep riding, but they had not been tried.
