UIPM President Schormann plants oak tree in Ankara (TUR)

After three weeks of intensive Modern Pentathlon activity in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann attended a peaceful ceremony rich in symbolism about the heritage and future of Modern Pentathlon.

Dr Schormann planted an oak tree in the company of Prof Dr Veli Ozan Cakir, President of the Turkish Modern Pentathlon Federation, in Ankara (TUR) – which hosted the UIPM 2022 Pentathlon World Cup, World Cup Final and New Pentathlon Discipline Test Event in recent weeks.

The two Presidents were joined by athletes, including members of the UIPM Athletes Committee, as well as UIPM Executive Board colleagues at the ceremony.

President Dr Schormann said: “The oak tree symbolises the special environment that Modern Pentathlon is creating. It is a symbol of Modern Pentathlon and grows with deep roots to stand firm in the face of storms.

“Furthermore, the planting of trees has an increasing environmental importance and symbolises UIPM’s commitment to sustainability.”

Planting trees has a long association with Modern Pentathlon going back to 1912, when an entire oak-tree forest was planted surrounding the Olympic Stadium in Stockholm (SWE) where the sport made its debut on the Olympic programme according to the vision of Baron Pierre de Coubertin.