COVID-19 Coronavirus protocols: UIPM statement

The third competition of the UIPM 2021 season, UIPM 2021 Pentathlon World Cup Sofia (II), was run according to a set of COVID-19 protocols designed to prioritise the health and safety of all participants – athletes, coaches, technical officials and organisers.

The protocols are applied to all aspects of the competition from inbound and outbound travel to accommodation and local transportation, with the intention of minimising risk of COVID-19 infections. Special publications including the Event Organizers Infection Prevention Guidelines and Operational Vade Mecum can be found at UIPM’s COVID-19 information page.

Around 400 tests were carried out during UIPM 2021 Pentathlon World Cup Sofia (II), nine of which returned a positive result for COVID-19. This followed around 600 tests taken during UIPM 2021 Pentathlon World Cup Sofia (I).

The nine individuals who tested positive – seven athletes and two coaches from seven countries – were immediately quarantined in the competition hotel and will remain so for a total period of 10 days, according to Bulgarian law.

Thirty-two contacts of the nine individuals were identified, each of whom was, like those who tested positive, ruled ineligible to participate or continue participating in Pentathlon World Cup Sofia (II).

The competition was staged successfully with 170 athletes participating across the four days. This followed the successful staging of UIPM 2021 Pentathlon World Cup Budapest, where one positive case of COVID-19 was detected, and UIPM 2021 Pentathlon World Cup Sofia (I), where two positive cases of COVID-19 were detected.

UIPM would like to express its gratitude to the local organisers and medical experts who have helped to facilitate the smooth running of these competitions and given so many athletes the opportunity to progress their goals of qualifying for the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

UIPM would also like to thank all members of the global Modern Pentathlon community who attended the competitions and abided by the rules and measures put in place to protect their health and safety.

UIPM will now work closely with local organisers in Szekesfehervar (HUN) and Cairo (EGY) to ensure that rigorous COVID-19 protocols are maintained throughout the UIPM 2021 Pentathlon World Cup Final and UIPM 2021 Pentathlon and Laser Run World Championships, taking place from May 13-16 and June 8-14 respectively.