UIPM President’s Activities: September/October 2021

04.09.2021: Darmstadt, GER

The Hesse Federation of Modern Pentathlon, of which UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann is President, organised its annual Global Laser Run City Tour in Darmstadt (GER).

The COVID-19 pandemic and the recent Olympic Games in Tokyo created challenges around the planning of the event, but President Dr Schormann and Executive Assistant Lena Nussbaumer were determined to contribute to the development of Laser Run with good participation opportunities for athletes in all age categories.

The Hesse Federation will arrange another GLRCT in Darmstadt (GER) in 2022 with the cooperation of the German Modern Pentathlon Federation (DVMF).

 

07.09-09.09.2021: Athens, GRE

The UIPM President visited the capital of Greece and original home of the Olympic Games for a celebration linked to the 4th Pierre de Coubertin Pentathlon Day.

Attending the event was also the President of the Hellenic National Olympic Committee and of the European Olympic Committees, Spyros Capralos, who received the Pierre de Coubertin Medal from Dr Schormann in recognition of his great achievements in the Olympic Movement and his strong support of Modern Pentathlon for decades.

The President of the Hellenic Modern Pentathlon Federation, Dora Palli, arranged a great festival with theatrical performances by children linked to the ancient Pentathlon. The Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, Minister of Development Adonis Georgiadis, Minister for Sport Lefteris Avgenakis and Minister of Health Zoi Rapti spoke and stated their strong support for the Olympic movement and Modern Pentathlon as a core sport in the Olympic programme. International Olympic Academy President Isidoros Kouvelos was also present along with a group of athletes.

President Dr Schormann also visited the new Olympic Museum in Athens on September 8.

 

11.09-14.09.2021: Moscow, RUS

UIPM President Dr Schormann attended the President’s Cup of Modern Pentathlon and visited the training centre in Moscow and the new museum of Modern Pentathlon at Severny  Village, which was established by UIPM Vice-President for Business Affairs, Viacheslav Aminov.

 

The whole history of the Soviet Union and the Russian Modern Pentathlon Movement is presented including some historical parts of the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne et Biathlon (UIPMB) and UIPM.

Dr Schormann presented Mr Aminov with the UIPM Oak Tree Cup for the museum collection.

 

16.09.2021: National Federation meeting

Dr Schormann had a video conference with Dr Liston Bochette III, President of the Modern Pentathlon Federation of Puerto Rico, to discuss possibilities for the special education of young people through the UIPM Sports movement.

They reflected on art, literature and musical contests as intellectual tools for education as a supplement for athletes in Modern Pentathlon. UIPM has a strong pedigree of athletes in both genders linked to art, music and literature.

They also discussed the development of Modern Pentathlon and development opportunities within UIPM Sports.

 

23.09.2021: Riding Working Group

The UIPM Riding Working Group formed in August in the immediate aftermath of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games had an intense agenda of activities in the past two months.

Activities included three official meetings besides an extensive number of calls, discussions, talks, documents and email exchanges.

The last meeting was held on September 23 at which the group concluded its final report. The outcome of this first period of activities is an extensive number of recommendations linked to horse welfare; education of pentathletes, coaches, and judges; improvements on competition routines; and changes in the competition rules.

The report was sent to the Executive Board for further analysis and preparation of potential motions to be presented during the UIPM 2021 Congress.

 

25.09.2021: Meeting with UIPM Treasurer

Dr Schormann met UIPM Treasurer John Helmick to discuss important points relating to the financial management of UIPM and how the Union should approach the coming years on the way to the Olympic Summer Games Paris 2024.

Furthermore, they spoke about Modern Pentathlon’s sponsorship portfolio and how the Union benefits from these partnerships. UIPM is very proud that all partners stayed during this difficult time of COVID-19 and that all of them remain willing to continue supporting Modern Pentathlon in the next Olympic cycle.

 

28.09.2021: Monaco, MON

UIPM President Dr Schormann and UIPM Treasurer John Helmick met at UIPM Headquarters in Monaco with staff members to discuss preparations for the upcoming UIPM 2021 Congress, which will be held virtually from Monaco in November.

 

October

 

02.10.2021: MESGO webinar

Dr Schormann joined a webinar of the 2021 MESGO, the Executive Master in Global Sport Governance, which featured discussions about developing ideas for the future of Sport after COVID-19.

Participants considered the sport itself, digitalisation, e-sport and future events. Furthermore, they spoke about the current and future sports programme of the Olympic Games, the power of sport and the rule of the Olympic movement for global society.

 

12.10.-13.10.2021: Book meeting

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann was joined by distinguished journalist Alain Lunzenfichter, a Member of the UIPM Pierre de Coubertin Commission, at the President’s Office in Darmstadt.

Together with Executive Assistant Lena Nussbaumer they discussed and prepared chapters of a historical UIPM book that will be launched at the end of 2022.

 

17.10.2021: Olympia, GRE

The UIPM President attended the inauguration of the International Olympic Academy (IOA) in Ancient Olympia, the historic birthplace of the Olympic Games, and had the opportunity to renew acquaintances with international sports officials after a long period apart due to COVID-19.

The inauguration was hosted by IOC President Dr Thomas Bach and IOA President Isidoros Kouvelos in the presence of HE Katerina Sakellaropoulou, the President of Greece.

Hellenic Olympic Committee President Spyros Capralos joined the IOC and IOA Presidents in cutting a band to open the new International Olympic Academy.

In the evening Dr Schormann was invited to take part in a Truce Declaration hosted by the Mayor of Ancient Olympia, Georgios Georgiopoulos together with the Director of the International Olympic Truce Centre, Dr Constantinos Filis. UIPM 1st Vice-President and IOC Member Juan Antonio Samaranch was also present.

19.10.2021: Athens, GRE

Dr Schormann joined dignitaries and special guests including composer Yiannis Psimadas and a group of priests at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens during the flame handover of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.

Earlier in the day, the UIPM President was joined by Hellenic Modern Pentathlon Federation Dora Palli, Beijing 2022 Athlete Ambassador Evi Moraitidou and Greek pentathletes in planting an olive tree next to the NF office and national team training venue.

The oak tree, as well the olive tree in this case, symbolises the special environment that Modern Pentathlon is creating. It’s a symbol of Modern Pentathlon and grows with deep roots to stand firm in the face of storms that have blown throughout the Ancient and Modern Games.

The ceremony was appropriate amid the historic atmosphere during the Beijing 2022 flame lighting and handover. Planting trees has a long history going back to 1912 when an entire oak-tree forest was planted surrounding the Olympic Stadium in Stockholm (SWE) where Modern Pentathlon made its debut on the Olympic programme.

Furthermore, the planting of trees has an increasing environmental importance and symbolises UIPM’s commitment to sustainability.

 

21.10.-26.10.2021: Crete, GRE

President Dr Schormann represented UIPM at the General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) along with guests from other International Federations.

At a welcome cocktail hosted by the Deputy Sports Minister of Greece, Dr Schormann had the opportunity to meet numerous friends and colleagues from the sporting world.

On October 24, the UIPM President had positive discussions with Minister Lefteris Avgenakis, Dora Palli and Spyros Capralos about the development of Modern Pentathlon and the wider sports movement in Greece.

On October 25, President Dr Schormann had a meeting with HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Saud to create the first steps for developing Modern Pentathlon in Saudi Arabia. They spoke about the structure needed in the Federation.

Furthermore, His Royal Highness invited Dr Schormann to visit Saudi Arabia to get a clear picture of the Olympic movement in his country and discuss future possibilities.

 

28.10.-30.10.2021: Monaco, MON

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann met with members of the UIPM Innovation Commission to discuss the future presentation of Modern Pentathlon with five disciplines after Paris 2024.

Commission Chair Ivar Sisniega led a two-day meeting and presented potential disciplines that could replace Riding.

The Commission, which included four Executive Board Members (Vice President Joel Bouzou, Member for Marketing Martin Dawe, Member for Development Dr Viacheslav Malishev and NORCECA Confederation President Rob Stull) as well as external consultant Prof Dr Holger Preuss (Head of Sports Economic Department at Mainz University), had the opportunity to exchange ideas for the future composition of the sport.

The UIPM EB endorsed the recommendations of the Commission during a video call on October 31, meaning that a consultation will soon begin to discuss options for the new discipline, which must enhance the popularity and credibility of Modern Pentathlon while preserving its status as the ultimate physical and mental sporting challenge – as envisaged by Baron Pierre de Coubertin.

During his visit to UIPM Headquarters, President Dr Schormann also met with the Sports Minister of Mexico, Ana Gabriela Guevara, to talk about future Modern Pentathlon competitions in Mexico starting in 2022.