‘An exciting step towards a universally accessible sport’: UIPM Para-Pentathlon Commission update

Accessibility and inclusion are integral for the continued success and growth of Modern Pentathlon. 

Nowhere is this truer than within the UIPM Para Sports movement, where work is ongoing to make Modern Pentathlon available to athletes with physical impediments.

UIPM and its Para-Pentathlon Commission have been hard at work in recent times, undertaking a range of activities:

• Working with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and submitting an application for inclusion of a Tetrathlon at the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games
• Updating medical classification information
• Producing guidelines for running para events
• Ascertaining the number of para athletes and different types of impediments within the Modern Pentathlon community.

Working with its member National Federations (NFs), UIPM has updated its online portal to create a tab where NFs can enter para athletes. This tab includes additional classification details and a specific registration number for each para athlete. 

Andrew Collings, UIPM Para-Pentathlon Commission Chair, explained: “Effectively, this means NFs can enter athletes as para-athletes from around the world, and work towards increasing the base of athletes in the full Modern Pentathlon and all of the sub-sports.

“Inclusion is also key and we encourage all NFs to open up events to all athletes with impediments and to encourage clubs within each federation to do the same. 

“By working together from the clubs to the policy and guidelines we will achieve the greatest success. A lot has been accomplished in the past 24 months and we now have a platform from which to launch the next phase of development.

“This is an exciting next step towards creating a universally accessible sport.”

New Zealand has been at the forefront of UIPM Para Sports development in recent years.

Kitty Chiller, President of the Oceania Modern Pentathlon Confederation, said: “I am really proud of the way New Zealand has led the way in driving the development of Para athlete events and development. The concept of inclusion is essential for all sports and it is fantastic to see this movement growing with the UIPM around the world.”

For more information on UIPM Para Sports please contact Para Project Manager Radka Zapletalova.