UIPM President’s Activities: November/December 2022

November

03.11.2022: AMPC General Assembly

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann joined the online General Assembly of the Asian Modern Pentathlon Confederation (AMPC) and gave a short briefing about the role that sport can play in times of war.

President Dr Schormann praised the humanitarian aid that was provided to Ukraine in 2022 by the AMPC and the Korean Modern Pentathlon Federation, where Ukrainian athletes were directly support to train in countries such as Poland and Germany.

He also discussed ways support can be provided to other NFs where sporting activity is restricted by a difficult political situation, such as Afghanistan. He suggested that neighbouring countries could again play a vital role, where it is not easy to provide support inside the country. In this way the AMPC and UIPM will find a way to help athletes in Afghanistan.

In general, the UIPM President underlined that the Union is taking care of athletes as a priority, especially when political events are interfering with sporting activities.

 

08.11. – 13.11.2022: Nice, FRA

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann chaired a two-day UIPM Executive Board meeting that included deep discussion and preparation of documents for the 72nd UIPM Congress, which took place online and marked a historical turning point for the Modern Pentathlon movement.

When the General Assembly voted with 83% of the eligible votes in favour of adding Obstacle Discipline to the UIPM Statutes and Competition Rules, it created new possibilities for nations that until now have struggled to enable athletes to compete in all five disciplines.

Obstacle gives Modern Pentathlon an opportunity not only to survive but to become one of the most dynamic, popular and accessible sports in the Olympic Games, reducing the cost and complexity of the sport and attracting a new audience.

 

17.11. – 20.11.2022: Paris / Normandie, FRA

Soon after the UIPM Congress, President Dr Schormann met with the UIPM Pierre de Coubertin Commission to discuss an action plan for the coming years linked to the Olympic Games Paris 2024. They visited various important sites integral to the life and legacy of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games and creator of Modern Pentathlon.

The Commission had several meetings with the Coubertin family and such meetings are very valuable in strengthening the heritage and legacy of Coubertin’s Olympic multi-sport. UIPM has a responsibility for telling the story of the origins of Modern Pentathlon and promoting its positive values.

During the trip, Commission Members gained precious insights from the Coubertin family, their Association and the background work they are doing. Alexandra de Navacelle de Coubertin, as well as her father Yvan, his brother Jacques and his son Thibaut joined the Commission in all visits to Mirville and La Sorbonne university in Paris.

 

23.11.2022: Brainstorming with athletes

President Dr Klaus Schormann chaired a video meeting with representatives of the UIPM Athletes Committee, Executive Board and Innovation Commission to discuss further steps in developing and promoting Obstacle as a newly-elected discipline of Modern Pentathlon.

In a brainstorming format, the group spoke about the options for staging Obstacle events in the coming years and where they should take place. For UIPM it is important that athletes’ voices are heard and that they can put their opinions, suggestions and proposals on the table.

 

27.11. – 29.11.2022: Lausanne, SUI

In his capacity as a Member of the IOC Culture & Olympic Heritage Commission, UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann attended a Session on November 28 at the Olympic Museum.

The Commission, chaired by IOC Member Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, discussed important steps and actions for the coming year. The agenda included:

• 2022 updates, success and key projects of the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage
• Futureproofing our digital ecosystem and expanding reach
• Olympic values and education’s role in arts and culture initiatives
• Olympic Studies Centre

After the meeting the Commission had a tour of the Olympic Museum and the Olympic Studies Centre.

IF Forum

While in Lausanne (SUI), UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann participated along with Secretary General Shiny Fang, Operations Director Alexandre Franca and Executive Assistant Lena Nussbaumer in the International Federations Forum in Lausanne under the theme: “Leading the way in safe sport and sustainable development”.

Day one of the forum featured powerful keynotes on human rights and sustainability, which can help to strengthen the principles for good governance in sport.

The UIPM delegation met Dr Harald Vervaecke, President of the Belgian Modern Pentathlon Federation and Secretary General of the International Lifesaving Federation.

 

30.11. – 01.12.2022: Monaco

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann attended the Peace & Sport Awards, hosted by Peace and Sport Founder and President Joel Bouzou OLY – former world champion pentathlete and UIPM Vice President.

President Dr Schormann had a short meeting with UIPM’s Honorary President, HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, who expressed his congratulations on the successful 72nd UIPM Congress held online earlier in November.

The Peace & Sport Awards are an annual highlight for various organisations that try to make a positive difference to lives through sporting initiatives. The Special Jury Prize was awarded to the International Cycling Union (UCI), which has set up solidarity actions in favour of Afghan women cyclists.

 

December

03.12. – 10.12.2022: Cape Town, RSA

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann travelled to Cape Town (RSA) for meetings with the Executive Board (EB) of the African Confederation of Modern Pentathlon.

After a briefing from President Dr Schormann and Dr Viacheslav Malishev, UIPM EB Member for Development, CAPM EB Members discussed the preparation of African teams for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, which will be the first Olympics to be held in the continent.

President Dr Schormann said: “It was very important that, together with the EB Members of CAPM, we discussed ways to make our sporting movement as strong as possible in Africa in preparation for the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026. Also we discussed deeply the possibilities for future development of Modern Pentathlon across the whole continent.

“The new Obstacle Discipline, which will replace Riding after Paris 2024, offers great potential for countries all over the world but especially in Africa, where the lack of horses has limited the growth of Modern Pentathlon until now. We are very confident that the integration of Obstacle into our sport will make it much more accessible for athletes worldwide.”

Dr Schormann’s trip came just weeks after the UIPM President signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Association of African National Olympic Committees (ANOCA), designed to stimulate the development of UIPM Sports across Africa. It also coincided with the 70th anniversary of the South African Modern Pentathlon Association (SAMPA).

Sylvestre Zare, CAPM President, said: “We have new continental competitions starting from 2023 and I thank the CAPM Executive Board members for their support and productive working days in Cape Town. I am grateful to the UIPM President and the EB Member for Development for their political and developmental help and support, and their permanent attention to the African Confederation.”

Dr Viacheslav Malishev added: “We had a very important and useful meeting with the CAPM EB and I’m delighted to see that an action plan for 2023 is in place. We’re very happy to continue working closely together with the Confederation President and all EB Members.”

In addition to meeting with SAMPA President Frans van Niekerk, UIPM President Dr Schormann also met with two of his predecessors and former pentathletes, Mark Wiley (a former Senator and Western Cape Interior Minister) and Neil Fourie (a stadium and sport facility designer and project manager previously commissioned by the IOC to design two IOC Youth Development Centres in Haiti and Zambia). All have enthusiastically embraced the addition of Obstacle to the sport with the aim of inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Presidents Schormann and van Niekerk also met with regional political leaders Anroux Marais (Western Cape Provincial Minister for Sport and Culture), Hermann van der Westhuizen (Western Cape Head of Ministry of Cultural Affairs & Sport) and Alderman JP Smith (City of Cape Town Executive Committee Member with responsibility for Events, Safety and Security).

They discussed future Modern Pentathlon projects in South Africa, including competitions in the Western Cape Province, and training and seminars in Stellenbosch and Cape Town. Minister Marais also reiterated support for Obstacle’s addition to the Modern Pentathlon format, and pledged to help with all future SAMPA activities.

The UIPM President’s visit included a meeting at the Stellenbosch University of Sport with participants in a UIPM coaching seminar, where Dr Schormann, Dr Malishev and SAMPA President Niekerk briefed the coaches on next steps for competitions including Obstacle as a replacement for Riding in the near future and preparatory steps for Paris 2024.

In recognition of SAMPA’s 70th anniversary and the UIPM 1996 Pentathlon World Cup Final in Stellenbosch (RSA), UIPM President Dr Schormann planted a tree together with Dr Malishev, SAMPA EB Members and coaching seminar participants.

On December 8, the trip concluded with a visit to a multi-sport complex in Franschhoek that is under construction based on a design by Mr Fourie. The complex includes a FINA (International Swimming Federation) high-performance centre and will offer facilities for all Modern Pentathlon disciplines.

In January 2023, SAMPA President Van Niekerk will prepare all documentation to acquire the necessary assistance to develop new Modern Pentathlon training facilities that include Obstacle Discipline.