UIPM President’s Statement & Activities: September 2020

The UIPM President, Dr Klaus Schormann, has issued a message of hope to the global UIPM Sports community as the sporting world continues to struggle against the COVID-19 Coronavirus.

Dear Modern Pentathlon Family, athletes, coaches, officials, parents and supporters,

We have all been faced with the COVID-19 Coronavirus since March 2020. This disease pandemic is affecting all our lives worldwide and we have to find the best ways to protect our health and the health of others.

We must never give up looking forward in a positive mood to a better future as soon as possible. Together with the International Olympic Committee, all International Federations of Olympic Sports are respecting the advice of the World Health Organization and the advice of our governments.

Step by step, we have to keep moving carefully towards normality in our daily activities and in the sport activities that we provide for athletes and other participants under the best health conditions.

In this September 2020 edition of the UIPM Newsletter, you will see that many National Federations have been able to resume some activities. Our goal should be to come together again for training, competitions and meetings while respecting the measures put in place to limit the spread of the virus.

At this difficult time, it is paramount that we use all means of communication to share the message that we are all in this situation together. We are not lost.

08.09.2020: Darmstadt, GER

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann had a video conference with Olympic and world champion Attila Mizsér (HUN).

They discussed various marketing issues and ways in which Modern Pentathlon can achieve new partnerships with companies through connecting sport and business societies. Attila Mizsér’s proposals include a financial income for Modern Pentathlon, a future for athletes after their sporting career and an employee’s lifestyle.

10.09.2020 Berlin, GER

President Dr Schormann took part in the third meeting of the German Olympic Committee (DOSB) Taskforce and the Ministry of the Interior as an expert in international relations in sport, politics and business.

They discussed the international sport movement based on the economic and political situations in all continents and the future of the Olympic Summer and Winter Games linked to human rights, peace through sport, education and integration through sport; the power and influence of sport in modern society.

16.09.2020 Berlin, GER

The UIPM President was invited by the German Government to attend a meeting of the Commission of Sport with members of all parliamentary factions.

The agenda covered international sport activities and focused especially on the Olympic movement based on the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (now taking place in 2021), good governance, anti-doping issues, human rights, corruption, athletes’ rights, actions during the pandemic and youth development through worldwide sport.

Among the invited guests were Josef Fendt (President of the International Luge Federation), Ingo Weiss (Treasurer of the International Basketball Federation), Christian Sachs (Head of Office at the DOSB), Prof Dr Gudrun Doll-Tepper (Vice-President of the DOSB), Thomas Konietzko (Vice-President of the International Canoe Federation) and Dr Thomas Weikert (President of the International Table Tennis Federation).

19.09.2020 Bensheim, GER

President Dr Schormann attended an open Laser Run competition and met all of the youth participants. It was the latest in a number of UIPM Sports competitions organised to encourage participation at grassroots level in Germany.

25.09.2020 Munich, GER

Dr Klaus Schormann took part in a meeting of Sport A (Agency for ARD/ZDF), Sport TV as one of the three TV council members to discuss national and international competitions during the pandemic.

Among the matters discussed were the financial consequences of COVID-19 for sponsors and broadcasters; online competitions and new possibilities for sport federations and clubs to resume normal sporting activities with limited spectators around the field of play; and how to protect the rights of sponsors through TV presentations of competitions in this difficult time.