UIPM has put together a Paralympic Pentathlon (also known as Para-pentathlon) Working Group to engage the wider Paralympic sporting community and the international audience in taking up the sport of Modern Pentathlon also in the very specific and challenging field of disabilities.
The aim is to make para-pentathlon a key part of the UIPM Development Programme and strengthen the relations with the International Paralympic Committees at both National and International level thanks to the crucial support of the National Olympics and Paralympics Associations, the Modern Pentathlon National Federations and any internal and external stakeholder interested in the promotion and valorisation of our sport movement.
The Para-pentathlon working group aims for uniting well known modern pentathlon experts, having a very balanced distribution at continental level that can be key for the support granted to each UIPM Confederations as well as bridging together the international sport movement, the modern pentathlon family and the diversity that underpins the athletes of the future.
Vision
To make Modern Pentathlon with all its disciplines (and sub-sports) more accessible to all, irrespective of gender, age or ethnic background, also at Paralympic level. Moreover the vision is to provide a therapeutic multidisciplinary approach for disabled people, becoming a valid base on which formulating a wise proposal addressed to disabled persons in both physiological and analytical patterns.
Mission
To formulate a wise model for Modern Pentathlon for physically impaired individuals that allows a broad spectrum of participants in the framework of the Paralympic Movement that can become the basis for a complete multidisciplinary approach for all impaired conditions regardless of the injuries occurred and easily to represent the UIPM within the IPC Family as well.
UIPM Para-Sports in 2020-2021
Activity of UIPM Para-Sport commission and entire sport movement has been affected by COVID-19 pandemics. Many of events have been postponed and further cancelled , travel possibilities have been diminished.
Commission and some of National federations have continued their effort to embrace Paralympic athletes into UIPM Family.
Another demonstration event took place during UIPM 2021 Laser Run World Championships Cairo (Egypt), where athletes competed in 3 different classes.
Opportunity to compete in Para-Biathle and Para-triathle was offered by organizers of UIPM 2021 Biathle/triathle World Championships Weiden (Germany).
UIPM Para-Sports in 2019
At the beginning of year 2019 UIPM Classification team receives the official request of approval for athlete Brian Douglas – 15year old athlete with previous experience with Para Swimming events who was interested to start to work with US Modern Pentathlon association and train/compete together with able bodied athletes. After analysis of the case, UIPM approves the request and opens the door to any other athlete with similar request.
UIPM Para sport commission together with UIPM Development department continues efforts to use channels of UIPM GLRCT for further communication and involvement of National federations in Project
Para Laser Run events have been organized in Egypt, USA, Russia and France.
UIPM Para-Sport visual has been implemented.
UIPM Para-Sports in 2018
After detailed Analysis of the feedback received from IPC about the classification document (UIPM Para Sport regulations) UIPM started the work on new system in coordination with UIPM Development department. Para-sport test events have been included to several GLRCT competitions, demonstrating this could be the way to introduce UIPM Para-Sport to large community.
In March 2018 Mr.Paul Baudet has been appointed a Head of classification with the aim to restructure UIPM Classification , offering 5 disability classes. The document can be accessed here.
Para Laser Run events have been organized in several countries – Egypt, France, Ukraine , Spain, Cuba and Colombia. A demonstration event has been also included to UIPM Laser Run World Championship.
Para Triathle in format Swimming-Fencing-Running was organized in Canada in class LR 5.
UIPM Para-Sports in 2017
UIPM’s Para-Pentathlon Working Group and Para-Pentathlon Commission have been analyzing technical and classification requirements of five UIPM Sports – Laser Run , Biathle, Triathle, Tetrathlon and Modern Pentathlon – with the aim of establishing a development strategy for UIPM Para-Sports.
This development will be linked with closely with development of the technical equipment needed and used by different disability classes and UIPM itself – by means of the Para-Pentathlon Commission – will start its own research activities.
In 2017, UIPM Congress adopted the UIPM Para-Sport Regulations 2017. The document covers general classification rules and procedures and defines sport classes. The first sport UIPM will introduce is Para Laser Run and the first class to be introduced at elite level is LR1 (standing category including lower-limb amputees and athletes with disabilities having a similar impact on performance).
In late 2017, UIPM launched a recruitment drive for national and international classifiers and started to build a network for future classification events.
Para Laser-Run pilot events in 2018 are being considered by a number of Local Organizing Committees (LOCs) of Laser Run City Tour. UIPM will test the proposed classifications, rules and potential challenges LOCs might face when participating in the project. At the same time, UIPM wishes to offer, in partnership with national Paralympic committees, an opportunity to introduce the new sporting adventure of UIPM Para Laser-Run to the para-sport community.
The vision of the Para-Pentathlon Commission is to enlarge the number of classes on the horizon for future seasons. Simultaneously the group is also working on the next step of classification requirements for Para Triathle events.
