UIPM President’s Statement & Activities: January 2021

The UIPM President, Dr Klaus Schormann, has issued a statement of hope and reassurance about the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games as the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic continues to affect global sport at the beginning of 2021.

Dear colleagues and friends of the UIPM movement,

In 2020 I wrote to you about the impact of the COVID-19 Coronavirus and expressed a wish that we should stay together, stay united and show patience to get through the pandemic and return to the wonderful sporting life we all enjoy.

We are now in the Olympic year 2021, we are all focusing on the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo with the Opening Ceremony on July 23, and I need to ask you once again for your patience.

The pandemic continues to stretch us to our limits, right across all global society, and we still have to overcome a number of issues linked to health to be secure for training and for normal life. Within our sporting movement, I promise you that we, the UIPM Executive Board and all Committees and Commissions, will try our best to give you full support.

In the case of athletes, coaches and support teams, we will support you in every way possible as you prepare to qualify and to compete later in the Olympic Games. Please don’t listen to the rumours or speculation from people who are speculating that the Games in Tokyo will not happen. I assure you, the Games will happen. And we will all do our best – the National Olympic Committees, the National Federations, the Union, all responsible people in sport society – to make it the best possible Olympic experience.

Today I am writing to ask you personally, please don’t lose your motivation. Please go and train hard as you did always. I know it is not easy in these days, but never give up. The hope will never die and we will always focus on our goals in a positive way.

One of the reasons to be hopeful in 2021 is the availability of vaccines. While we have been making sacrifices in our lifestyle, the global science community has been working hard to play its part in defeating this virus, and now the help is coming our way.

There is much we do not yet know about how and when vaccines will be made available, but I strongly support the vaccination of athletes, coaches and officials involved in the Olympic Games. Everything possible must be done to ensure the health and safety of all participants in the Olympic Games, so I urge you to be open-minded about this.

While the International Olympic Committee works on developing a plan with the World Health Organisation, the Japanese Government and vaccine manufacturers, we will stay in close communication with your National Federations and your NOCs. Vaccination can be a very positive step towards giving you more confidence and a feeling of security about training and competing.

To all athletes standing at different places on the road to Tokyo, I ask you please to keep your spirit intact, focus on your motivation to be a strong athlete, and keep preparing mentally and physically to perform at a high level in the qualification competitions in Budapest, Sofia, Seoul and Cairo. We will see each other soon, in good health and good conditions, well trained and supported by your coaches and federations.

And to all athletes and participants at different levels of the UIPM Sports pyramid, I ask for your patience too. This is a test of our resolve and we must pass the test – your time will also come.

For now let’s look forward in a very clear way, starting with the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021. The Olympic Games is the motor of the global sporting movement. Yes, we will be there.

 

With my best personal greetings and wishes for good health,

Dr Klaus Schormann

UIPM President

 

12.01.2021: Meeting with Malta

The UIPM President, Dr Klaus Schormann, had a video conference with Marco Tomasini, General Secretary of the Malta Sport for All Federation, to discuss the possibility of establishing Modern Pentathlon in Malta.

President Dr Schormann explained all the necessary steps for becoming a member of UIPM and underlined that the first official contact should come through the National Olympic Committee of Malta. UIPM Development Manager Maxime Papillion and Executive Assistant Lena Nussbaumer joined the meeting.

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann meets with UIPM Development Manager Maxime Papillon (top right), Malta Sport for All General Secretary Marco Tomasini and UIPM Executive Assistant Lena Nussbaumer

 

19.01.2021: German Olympic Academy (DOA) meeting

President Dr Schormann attended an online meeting and workshops session in his capacity as an Executive Board Member of the German Olympic Academy (DOA).

The EB Members discussed topics relating to the future of Olympism, efficiency and achieving objectives, the Olympic values and how they can be promoted, taught and transferred through various pillars of society.

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann participates in an online session with fellow Executive Board Members of the German Olympic Academy. His involvement in the session included a workshop (below) with (clockwise from top left) Prof Dr Gudrun Doll-Tepper, Wiebke Arndt, Claudia Brill and Prof Dr Annette Hofmann

25.01.2021: Meeting with IOC President

The IOC President, Dr Thomas Bach, briefed all Olympic Summer Sport International Federations (IFs) about preparations for the Olympic Summer Games Tokyo 2020, now taking place in 2021.

Dr Bach gave a clear statement about the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic and how the IOC, the World Health Organisation and the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee are constantly evaluating the worldwide situation and sharing information with NOCs and IFs.

The IOC President made clear that the IOC’s view is that medical staff and the most vulnerable people in society should be vaccinated first, but also that athletes and coaches should have the possibility to get the vaccination. During the discussion the IFs gave strong support to the IOC statement and said they were looking forward to the Games, doing their best to ensure a fair qualification process for athletes.

IOC President Dr Thomas Bach (top, centre) leads a briefing to International Federations about the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

 

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann participates in the International Federations Session led by IOC President Dr Thomas Bach

26.01.2021: Laser Run meeting

President Dr Schormann and his Executive Assistant, Lena Nussbaumer, held a video conference with the Sport Director of Darmstadt, Martin Westermann, to discuss the planned Global Laser Run City Tour in Darmstadt in June 2021. During the discussion they underlined how important it is during the pandemic to arrange sport events to help athletes and members of society overcome difficult times.

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann and Executive Assistant Lena Nussbaumer join a meeting with Martin Westermann, Sport Director of Darmstadt

 

26.01.2021: ‘Be active through sport’ Brainstorming project

At national level Dr Schormann has embarked on a new project with professionals from German sport and international business entitled ‘Trimm Dich’ (Be Active Through Sport). The task force works on general sport development and how sport and health can have an impact on society, with projects created to be tested first in Germany.

Among the members of the taskforce are DOA President Dr Gerald Fritz, marketing experts Prof Dr Markus and Nicole Mau and Dr Michael Dorr, former world-class pentathlete, sport scientist and personal coach.

President Dr Schormann and Ms Nussbaumer participate in the ‘Be Active Through Sport’ taskforce with (clockwise from top left) Dr Michael Doerr, Prof Dr Markus and Prof Dr Nicole Mau, and DOA President Dr Gerald Fritz