UIPM statement on new dates for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021

UIPM has welcomed the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee to reschedule the Games of the XXXII Olympiad for July 23 to August 8, 2021.

Today’s announcement means the UIPM Executive Board (EB) can now meet via conference call to finalise plans for a revised qualification system for Modern Pentathlon. Details of the new process will be announced as soon as possible.

The EB will also now be able to discuss the rescheduling of the UIPM 2020 Pentathlon World Championships in Cancun (MEX) and plan the 2021 competition season.

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann said: “On behalf of our global community I congratulate our partners at the IOC and Tokyo 2020 on this swift confirmation of new dates for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games from July 23 to August 8, 2021.

“I believe this is the best possible outcome in the circumstances. Our National Federations, athletes, coaches and their support teams all now have the certainty of knowing they have 16 months to prepare for the Olympic Games.

“We look forward now to finalising a qualification system that is fair and open to all athletes, and to providing the competition dates that will enable everybody involved in Modern Pentathlon to start making plans aimed at ensuring peak performance in August 2021.

“In the meantime I urge everyone in our global movement to follow the advice of their Government and relevant health authorities so that we can contribute as effectively as possible to the containment of the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic.

“Our world is united in a combined effort to rid the planet of this virus so that we can restore our normal way of life in education, business, society and sport.”

Aya Medany, Chair of the UIPM Athletes Committee, added: “Today’s news will be a great source of relief to pentathletes across the world. They now have a clear target to work towards after a long period of uncertainty caused by the pandemic.

“Everybody realises the importance of the measures that have been put in place to contain the COVID-19 Coronavirus and it’s great to know that the Olympics has been moved forward as far as possible to ensure maximum preparation time.

“For most athletes, training and competition programmes are completely on hold and we look forward to providing athletes with new UIPM competition dates and a revised qualification process soon.”

The UIPM 2020 Pentathlon World Cup season has already been cancelled and the UIPM 2020 Pentathlon World Championships postponed due to the pandemic.

Other UIPM World Championships scheduled for the second half of 2020 are subject to ongoing discussions with organisers.