Modern pentathlon: Schormann confirmed as head of the world association

Klaus Schormann remains president of the world association in modern pentathlon. As the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) announced on Sunday evening, the 75-year-old was confirmed in his office with a large majority at the digitally held congress. Schormann has headed the association since 1993. Its first vice president, Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., 62, was re-elected. In addition, the majority of the delegates were in favor of the association looking for an alternative sport for show jumping.

It was the first general meeting since the Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the incidents involving the German Annika Schleu while riding. The then leader in the intermediate ranking had not been able to cope with a completely insecure horse that had been drawn and had used a whip and spurs desperately. This caused a sensation and severe criticism.

Among other things, the UIPM called for riding as a discipline to be removed from the pentathlon. Shortly after the Games, however, Schormann described show jumping as an “integral part of the modern pentathlon based on the vision of Baron Pierre de Coubertin”.

At the beginning of November, the UIPM initiated a procedure to find a suitable replacement for riding. At the time, the association wrote of a “historic step” after the board had approved the decision. Now there was also approval from the member associations.