UIPM President meets NOC Vice President Prince Fahd during visit to Riyadh (KSA)

The UIPM President, Dr Klaus Schormann, visited Riyadh (KSA) for a site visit and series of meetings with key stakeholders as UIPM Sports continues to develop in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

President Dr Schormann had a productive meeting with Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdul Aziz, Vice-President of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC). They discussed the future of Modern Pentathlon in Saudi Arabia and explored avenues for collaboration between the SAOC and the Saudi Modern Pentathlon Federation (SMPF).

Prince Fahd, also a member of the executive office and chairman of the education committee of the Olympic Council of Asia, expressed his full support for the development of UIPM Sports and praised the progress of the Saudi team. They also discussed the possibility of hosting international events in Saudi Arabia in the near future.

F.l.t.r: Dr. Klaus Schormann (UIPM President); Arwa Alnajrani (SMPF Athlete competed at SEA CHs); Nasser Al Dughether (SMPF President)

President Dr Schormann said: “My visit to Saudi Arabia from June 6-8 was highly successful in furthering the growth and development of Modern Pentathlon in Saudi Arabia. The discussions and meetings with key stakeholders demonstrated a shared commitment to advancing the sport and creating opportunities for Saudi athletes to compete at the highest level.

“We hope that with the support of partners including the NOC Vice President, Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdul Aziz, the KSA Modern Pentathlon Team will become more and more motivated to continue achieving remarkable results in both regional and international competitions.”

President Dr Schormann’s visit included extensive meetings with SMPF officials, led by President Nasser Mohammed Aldugether and Secretary General Badr Balobaid. Again, the focal point was the future of UIPM Sports in Saudi Arabia, including infrastructure development, talent identification and training programs, promoting the sport at grassroots level and increasing participation in competitions.

f.l.t.r.: Ali Almesly (Security Manager of venues at MAHD Sports Academy); Badr Balobaid (SMPF Secretary General); Naif Al Zamal (Administration Manager of green hall venues at MAHD Sports Academy); Tamer Samy (UIPM Senior IT Manager); Rasant Al-Ayed (SMPF Board Member); Dr. Klaus Schormann (UIPM President); Zuhair Al Shammasi (SMPF Executive Director)

Besides meeting key members of the federation, the UIPM President visited training venues and met with Marian Gheorghe, UIPM Instructor and Head Coach of the KSA Modern Pentathlon team. Dr Schormann congratulated the athletes on their remarkable results in their inaugural participation in the UIPM Southeast Asia Championships in Pattaya (THA), encouraging them to continue their hard work and dedication.

President Dr Schormann’s site visit included an inspection of the training venues used by the KSA Modern Pentathlon Team, where a tour was provided by Sultan Hussain Alauazi, Director of the MAHD Sports Academy. They had deep discussions about new training strategies for young talent across various sports.

f.l.t.r.: Badr Balobaid (SMPF Secretary General); Marian Gheorghe (Head Coach KSA); Zuhair El Shammasi (SMPF Executive Director); Razan Alayed (SMPF Board Member); Dr. Klaus Schormann (UIPM President); Sultan Hussain Alauazi (Director of Sport Academy MAHD); Tamer Samy (UIPM Senior IT Manager); Alsied Mohameed (Sports Academy MAHD Employee)