UIPM forms Riding Working Group and appoints Disciplinary Panel

• Olympic champions Peciak (POL) and Cook (GBR) on 10-strong expert group
• Horse welfare and athlete safety top of the agenda
• FEI to support UIPM with specialist consultants following Presidents’ meeting

The Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) has formed a 10-strong Riding Working Group to urgently address concerns about horse welfare in Modern Pentathlon.

Chaired by Montreal 1976 Olympic champion Janusz Peciak OLY (POL) and including Sydney 2000 Olympic champion Stephanie Cook OLY (GBR), the group will review the Riding competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and discuss a range of measures designed to prevent any repeat of the distressing scenes that occurred.

Within four days of the end of the Games, UIPM committed to urgent improvements in horse welfare in Modern Pentathlon and the formation of the Riding Working Group is the first outcome of that process.

The group includes five Olympians in total along with some of the world’s leading Modern Pentathlon coaches, technical experts, event organisers and course designers.

The Riding Working Group, which will meet frequently online in the coming weeks, is composed as follows:

• Chair: Janusz Peciak OLY (POL)
  
  UIPM Executive Board Member for Sport, UIPM Technical Committee Chair, Montreal 1976 Olympic champion, double world champion, USA Pentathlon Head Coach for more than 30 years
• Jan Bartu OLY (CZE)
  
  UIPM Coaches Committee representative – winner of two Olympic medals (Montreal 1976), UIPM Level 4 Coach, Pentathlon GB Performance Director for more than 20 years
• James Cooke OLY (GBR)
  
  UIPM Athletes Committee representative – Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympian, 2018 world champion, 2019 European champion
• Stefano Scaccabarozzi (ITA)
  
  Riding expert – former Italian Equestrian Federation Sports Director, Team Selector, Team Manager and Coach, Riding Coach of Italian Modern Pentathlon Federation in 3 Olympics (2008, 2012, 2016)
• Teodor Sheitanov (BUL)
  
  Riding expert – FEI Level 3 course designer and FEI Level 3 judge, successful course designer of multiple UIPM Pentathlon World Cups in Bulgaria
• Dr Stephanie Cook OLY (GBR)
  
  National Federations representative – Sydney 2000 Olympic champion, world champion, European champion, Board Member of European Modern Pentathlon Confederation, former Pony Club member
• Joshua Riker-Fox OLY (CAN)
  
  National Federations representative – Beijing 2008 Olympian, Pentathlon Canada Next Generation Coach, Canadian Pony Club Wall of Fame entrant, Member of UIPM Instructor Group
• Sandor Karman (HUN)
  
  Event organisers representative – Competition Director, Hungarian Modern Pentathlon Association
• Group Coordinator: Dr Alexandre Franca
  
  UIPM Operations Director
• Tamas Varga
  
  UIPM Competition Manager

FEI / UIPM cooperation

On August 17 UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann met with his International Equestrian Federation (FEI) counterpart Ingmar De Vos, who had offered support in the immediate aftermath of the Women’s Final in Tokyo (JPN).

President De Vos agreed during the meeting to provide two specialists who will work with UIPM as consultants, advising on technical jumping and veterinary aspects of horse welfare.

UIPM President Dr Schormann said: “I am delighted that we  have the support of the FEI along with our own expertise within Modern Pentathlon as we work towards solutions that result in improved horse welfare and athlete safety in our sport.

“I am grateful to FEI President Ingmar de Vos and very pleased that we are entering a new era of cooperation between our two International Federations.”

UIPM Disciplinary Panel

As provided for in the UIPM Code of Ethics, a three-person Disciplinary Panel has been appointed by the UIPM Executive Board to review the events of the Riding competition in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Women’s Modern Pentathlon on August 6.

The Disciplinary Panel is composed of Rob Stull OLY (NORCECA Modern Pentathlon Confederation President), Martin Dawe (UIPM Executive Board Member for Marketing) and Dr Viacheslav Malishev (UIPM Executive Board Member for Development).