New Modern Pentathlon format for Olympic Games moves step closer to reality

• UIPM Executive Board approves 90-minute Modern Pentathlon with elimination system
• Groundbreaking vision for Paris 2024 designed to raise profile and popularity
• IOC to decide on Olympic format proposal and Mixed Relay application in December

The Executive Board (EB) of the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) has voted overwhelmingly in favour of a proposed new Modern Pentathlon format for the Olympic Summer Games Paris 2024.

The new format introduces a 90-minute Modern Pentathlon, with an elimination system designed to reduce the overall length of the competition and create a more dynamic sport with a continuous flow.

The graphic below illustrates the vision of five disciplines in 90 minutes in a compact field of play, which is another cornerstone of planning for Paris 2024.

The new format is more broadcast-friendly, enabling the dramatic storylines of Modern Pentathlon to be told in a logical sequence that is easier for spectators inside the stadium and watching around the world to understand.

As a sustainable and cost-effective model for the future of Modern Pentathlon within the Olympic Games, the proposal is also compatible with the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Agenda 2020 and New Norm reforms.

The changes mark another chapter in the evolution of UIPM’s flagship sport – the only sport created especially for the modern Olympic Games when it was introduced by Baron Pierre de Coubertin in Stockholm in 1912.

The proposal has been shared with UIPM’s member federations, who have been invited to send suggestions and remarks before the final application is submitted to the IOC.

The IOC EB will decide on December 7, 2020 whether to approve UIPM’s application package comprising the new format and a third medal event – the Mixed Relay – along with applications from 19 other Olympic International Federations to change the Paris 2024 event programme.

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann said: “We stand once again on the brink of a momentous landmark in the long history of our beloved core Olympic sport.

“The Modern Pentathlon was originally a five-day competition at the Olympic Games. In Atlanta (1996) it was condensed into one day, and in London (2012) we combined laser shooting with running to produce a more exciting climax. In Tokyo (2021) we will have all five disciplines within one Pentathlon Stadium.

“Now, after two years of detailed exploration and discussion between all parts of our community, the IOC and Paris 2024 and Olympic Broadcast Services (OBS), we are ready to present something very special: a Modern Pentathlon lasting 90 minutes.

“We have presented our global community with a summary of the exciting new Modern Pentathlon format, which we hope will have a transformative effect on the profile and popularity of our Olympic sport.

“As UIPM President I am grateful to all parts of our global community for buying into this vision. The UIPM Executive Board has again demonstrated its commitment to innovation and we greatly look forward to presenting the IOC with our application for a new Modern Pentathlon competition format and an additional Mixed Relay category for the Olympic Summer Games Paris 2024.”

The latest EB decision follows a vote in January 2020 in support of the new format, following the creation of a New Pentathlon Working Group in September 2019.

Test events took place in Budapest (HUN) and Cairo (EGY) in September 2020, resulting in positive athlete feedback.