UIPM development sports calendar postponed until June

UIPM has written to the organisers of more than 20 upcoming mass-participation events to announce the suspension of all global development sports activity.

The entire programme of UIPM Global Laser Run City Tours (GLRCTs) and Biathle/Triathle National Tours (BTNTs) for March, April and May 2020 has been suspended to assist with the international effort to combat the spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus.

The suspension of the GLRCT and BTNT calendar follows the decision by the Executive Board on 15 March to postpone the UIPM 2020 Pentathlon World Cup season.

Viacheslav Malishev, UIPM Executive Board Member for Development, said: “In the current, difficult situation that the world is facing, we were left with no option but to suspend our development competitions calendar until such a time when it is safer to arrange large gatherings.

“Development sports are an essential component of UIPM’s sporting pyramid and offer a pathway to Modern Pentathlon as well as opportunities for people from all communities around the world to participate in a multi-sports environment.

“The GLRCT and BTNT have contributed much to the growth of our global participation base and I would like to thank all of our local organisers and member federations for their cooperation, flexibility and solidarity in these challenging times.”

Three countries in Africa were due to host competitions during the three-month period – Egypt, Togo and Burkina Faso – along with Guatemala and Venezuela in the Americas, Sri Lanka and the Philippines in Asia and nine countries in Europe (Georgia, Portugal, Armenia, Belarus, France, Italy, Croatia, Russia and Ukraine).

The Global Laser Run City Tour was created in 2017 to provide an entry point to UIPM Sports for people of all ages in urban communities around the world. Since then, tens of thousands of athletes of all ages have competed in venues across all continents.

The UIPM Laser Run World Championships was born in 2015 and in August 2020 it will be combined for the first time with the UIPM Biathle-Triathle World Championships, in Weiden (GER). The BTNT was relaunched in 2019.