UIPM New 5th Discipline Working Group update on major progress in Q1 and Q2 timeline

The Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) is pleased to update on the significant progress made in the first quarter of the year by the UIPM New 5th Discipline Working Group.

Following along planned procedures, the New 5th Discipline Working Group (WG) have completed its Q1 (Jan-Mar) targets. These included selection process, collecting proposals from all different stakeholders, including UIPM National Federations, committee/commission members, athletes and its focus group, pentathlon fans, organizations and individuals who submitted their suggestions directly to UIPM. 

The UIPM Athletes Committee's also presented its suggestions after conducting discussions within an Athlete Focus Group composed of 26 athletes from 22 nations.

In total, UIPM had received 61 discipline proposals, sent by 39 different stakeholders from 37 nations. The continent with the highest participation was Europe (46%) followed by Asia (22%); Africa and South America (11% each); and NORCECA and Oceania (5% each).

In order to shortlist the disciplines, two rounds of evaluations have been conducted within the Working Group according to the 13 pre-established criteria. In addition, the views and concerns of athletes; medical aspects including workload, injuries, and antidoping; technical points linked to the other four disciplines; and TV, media and marketing aspects have all been thoroughly discussed with the advice and insights of external experts who are highly respected in the sports and media industries as well as within Olympic movement.

The WG will have a physical meeting during the UIPM 2022 Pentathlon World Cup Budapest in the last week of April to make its final decision of the discipline to be tested, in order to start more detailed competition rules and format study within Q2. It will then report to UIPM Executive Board about the outcomes of its working phases.

A further announcement which will cover the selection results as well as the next steps, including the new discipline tests will be made on May 3 following the UIPM Executive Board Meeting which will take place on May 2 in the Hungarian capital.