Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM), the governing body of modern pentathlon, has disputed claims that it chose obstacle course racing as its new fifth discipline in secret.
After stating that show jumping would be eliminated after the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, UIPM stated in May that it would test obstacle course racing as a replacement for the equestrian event.
According to UIPM, the decision was taken by a “working group” of 21 individuals, including Olympic pentathletes and media specialists, with input from the sport’s numerous committees and national federations.
Joseph Choong, the defending men’s Olympic champion, told Insider at the time that the governing body was using the working group as a “facade.”
Choong, along with American pentathletes Heidi Hendrick and Avery Niemann, who are all members of Pentathlon United and are advocating for show jumping to continue in modern pentathlon, told Insider last month that they and other athletes were not contacted about the change.
Choong stated, “The entire process has stunned me with how little athletes matter in sport decision-making processes.”
It is evident that the vast majority of active athletes do not want these modifications, but they have been implemented anyhow.
James Cooke, a UIPM athlete representative and one of four Olympic pentathletes in the working group, told Insider that the assertions made by his teammates are false.
“Everyone got the opportunity to present their ideas,” he stated. “Each of the 131 national federations, I believe, was permitted to speak with one another before submitting their ideas.
“The technical committee, comprised of referees and judges, as well as the coaching committee and athlete committee, were permitted to offer their input.
“We [the fifth-discipline working group] spoke with athlete representatives from each nations and requested them to speak with their athletes. We then assembled a demographically diverse athlete focus group.
“In this focus group, we had participants with strong attitudes in favor of cycling, as well as athletes with strong sentiments against it.
I believe that, in terms of this procedure, we performed an outstanding job.
Dr. Klaus Schormann, president of the UIPM, refutes the claim that athletes were not engaged in the selection of the modern pentathlon’s fifth discipline.
“From the very beginning, the athletes’ voices have been heard,” he told Insider. The members of the athlete committee are elected by all athletes from across the world and from each continent individually, so there is a voice for Asia, a voice for America, etc.
“The athlete committee attends every competition, holds meetings, and communicates with the athletes,” he added. “We are quite democratically engaged.”