UIPM President’s Activities: March 2024

29.02.2024: CISM meeting

On the last day of February, UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann had an online call with former pentathlete Col Nilton Rolim, who was recently elected as President of the International Military Sports Council (CISM).

They discussed the future of Modern Pentathlon within the CISM Movement and how Col Rolim wants to include Modern Pentathlon with the new Obstacle discipline in the CISM World Games, potentially with the Obstacle Laser Run (OLR) format.

Furthermore, Col Rolim proposed President Dr Schormann the idea to have the CISM Modern Pentathlon Military World Championships in Caldas da Rainha (POR) this year combined with the UIPM U17 World Championships. Dr Schormann agreed to this idea and they also spoke about future CISM World Championships with Spain and Hungary as potential hosting nations. Furthermore, they will review and update the Memorandum of Understanding signed between UIPM and CISM in 2021 in the coming weeks.

 

06.03. – 10.03.2024: Cairo, EGY

UIPM President Dr Schormann attended the first major competition of the 2024 Olympic season, UIPM Pentathlon World Cup Cairo, while also taking part in sport-political functions.

President Dr Schormann attended the Sport Expo together with Egypt’s Minister for Youth & Sport, Dr Ashraf Sobhy, Egyptian Modern Pentathlon Federation (EMPF) President Sharif Elerian OLY and World Olympians and French Modern Pentathlon Federation (FFPM) President Joel Bouzou OLY.

The Sport Expo allows all sectors to present commercial products and cutting-edge services that will serve the sports industry for years to come.

Outside of such official commitments, the UIPM President met also with various National Federation (NF) leaders during the competition, further discussing strategies to develop the sport in their countries and establish a solid base for future competitions.

Two of the NF officials he met were Joseph Collins Ssemmanda (Secretary General, Uganda Modern Pentathlon Federation) and Ismalia Lingany (President, Mali Modern Pentathlon Federation).

For Uganda and Mali, UIPM Pentathlon World Cup Cairo provided an opportunity for athletes to compete in a Category A competition in their own continent of Africa. Forty-five nations were represented in Cairo (EGY), a mark of the increasing accessibility and diversity of Modern Pentathlon.

The newly-installed Kuwait Modern Pentathlon Federation also had athletes starting in the Mixed Relay at the last day of the competition. President Dr Schormann had the chance to speak to the Deputy Ambassador of Kuwait, who had attended the competition to cheer the Kuwaiti athletes.

President Dr Schormann expressed his pride that new federations at an early stage of development had the initiative to attend World Cups to gain experience and learn from other nations, connect with the UIPM society, discover how others train and build up friendship through sport – which has the power to connect people across borders.

On March 7 President Dr Schormann chaired the UIPM Executive Board meeting, which took place in a hybrid format as there was a big attendance of Board Members in Cairo (EGY).

The President’s Report included the CISM World Championships, the latest situation with neutral athletes holding Russia and Belarus passports, the integration of Obstacle and the new UIPM Art & Sport Contest.

Pentathlon World Cup Cairo was the first UIPM competition where athletes from Belarus were granted access to compete with individual neutral athlete (AIN) status having gone through the rigorous checks of an independent panel.

Furthermore, the EB discussed how NF can better merge with the Obstacle society in their country and the next steps to integrate Obstacle into Modern Pentathlon.

With Paris 2024 looming in one of the world’s most important historical and cultural cities, President Dr Schormann – a long-serving member of the IOC Commission for Culture & Olympic Heritage – proposed the introduction of an Art & Sport Contest lasting from April until June, enabling professional and amateur artists among the Modern Pentathlon community to create work representing the Olympic Games, Modern Pentathlon or the sport’s founder, Baron Pierre de Coubertin.

After the Finals on Saturday, the President was joined by Joel Bouzou OLY and UIPM Athletes Committee Chair Yasser Hefny OLY in attending the Egypt Athletes Forum.

The Forum gathers Olympians, athletes, sports authorities, National Olympic Committees, athlete commissions, Ministry of Youth and Sports, International Federations and other key stakeholders in the sports industry. Its purpose is to build up a community of Egyptian champions, highlight their success, understand their struggles, support them in their careers and help them make history by encouraging them in international competitions.

The theme for this year’s Forum was The Road To Paris, with a panel topic of Sport Diplomacy.

 

11.03.2024: Dubai, UAE

Meetings with the United Arab Emirates National Olympic Committee, Ministry for Education, Sport Council and UAE Modern Pentathlon Federation started with the NOC Secretary General HE Faris Mohamed Al-Tawah. President Dr Schormann and the NOC SG spoke about the future possibilities for Modern Pentathlon within UAE as well as historic competitions organised some years ago.

f.l.t.r.: Tamer Samy (UIPM Senior Technology Manager), Abdulaziz Ibrahim Hussein Ali aL-Salman (UAE NOC Member), H.E. Faris Mohamed Al-Tawah (UAE NOC Secretary General); Dr. Klaus Schormann (UIPM President); Dr. Huda Almatroushi (UAE Modern Pentathlon President); Lena Nussbaumer (UIPM Executive Assistant); Qais Abdulla Al Dhalai (UAE NOC Member).

Dr Schormann then met HE Dr Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Education and Chairman of the General Authority of Sport, at the NOC headquarters. The meeting was attended by HE Ghanim Mubarak Rashid Al Hajeri (Director-General of the General Authority of Sport), HE Sheikh Suhail Bin Butti Al Maktoum (Executive Director of the Sports Development Sector at the Authority), and HE Dr Huda Al Matrooshi (UAEMPF President).

They discussed key ways to enhance cooperation and the Union's future plans to develop the Olympic sport in the UAE. They also explored opportunities for the UAE to host Modern Pentathlon competitions, aiming to boost the UAE's sports competitiveness and status by welcoming the replacement of Riding with the more urban sport of Obstacle.

In addition, the UIPM President also had a chance to meet with the Sharjah Sport Council, which manages all sports competitions in Dubai and supports the UAEMPF. Its Chairman, HE Issa Hilal Al-Hazami, spoke about the good experience they had so far with the UAEMPF and with UIPM, based on the previous staging of two Biathle & Triathle World Championships in Dubai (UAE).

President Dr Schormann was supported in meetings by UIPM Senior Technology Manager, Tamer Samy, and Executive Assistant Lena Nussbaumer.

 

14.03. – 15.03.2024: Madrid, ESP

President Dr Schormann met with Carlos Jimenez del Castillo, President of the Spanish Modern Pentathlon Federation, Secretary General Jaime Gonzalez Almaraz and Dr Viacheslav Malishev, UIPM Executive Board Member for Development.

Discussions centred around the future strategies of the Spanish NF and avenues for integrating the Spanish Obstacle society into the existing framework. While UIPM provided guidelines for this integration process, it was acknowledged that each nation and federation face unique circumstances requiring tailored approaches.

Furthermore, they discussed the possibility of hosting the CISM 2025 Modern Pentathlon Military World Championships, due to their close cooperation with the Army in Spain.

Additionally, Dr Schormann provided insights into the ongoing situation involving neutral athletes from Belarus and Russia, along with updates on UIPM's successful organisation of the season-opening UIPM 2024 Pentathlon World Cup Cairo.

Furthermore, the group discussed ways to enhance competitiveness within the sport, exploring strategies aimed at advancing Modern Pentathlon in Spain and ensuring that athletes receive the support to thrive on the international stage. Highlighting the success story of athletes like Laura Heredia, who secured a Paris 2024 direct qualification quota place for Spain at the 2023 European Games in Krakow (POL), served as inspiration for other athletes.

On March 15, UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann met with 1st Vice President Juan Antonio Samaranch (also IOC Vice President) at his office in Madrid. They shared updates on UIPM activities leading up to Paris 2024 and beyond.

19.03.2024: London, GBR

Before the competition season gains full momentum and with the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games, President Dr Schormann travelled to London (GBR) for an in-person meeting with Jon Tibbs, CEO of JTA, along with Justin Shea and Nick Dawes and UIPM Executive Assistant Lena Nussbaumer.

Discussions centred around strategic communication plans tailored for the Paris 2024 Olympics, aiming to leverage Dr Schormann’s presidency to effectively showcase Modern Pentathlon.

Delving into the communication strategies, the group explored ways to effectively convey the unique aspects of the sport, especially its historical significance intertwined with equestrianism, while emphasising the need for adaptation to resonate with future generations.

Upcoming competitions, as well as Sport Accord and other international sports events, will be used as platforms for President Dr Schormann to represent the sport to maximise positive media coverage. In essence, the meeting served as a pivotal moment to refine communication strategies, strengthen partnerships and align efforts towards effectively positioning Modern Pentathlon on the global stage, not only for the upcoming Olympics but also for the future.

 

25.03. – 26.03.2024: Darmstadt, GER

UIPM President Dr. Klaus Schormann met with experienced former L’Equipe journalist Alain Lunzenfichter and Martin Dawe, UIPM Executive Board Member for Marketing, over a two-day period to discuss the progress and next steps for UIPM’s historical book project. The meeting’s action plan outlined a timeline aiming for the completion of the book before UIPM Congress in November 2024, ensuring that it becomes a tangible piece of history accessible to all.

The comprehensive book will encompass various facets of Modern Pentathlon history, including profiles of all Olympic champions, a Hall of Fame section, anecdotes about pivotal figures such as Baron Pierre de Coubertin, and other significant contributors to the Modern Pentathlon Movement.

Additionally, there will be a dedicated section for artwork, featuring pieces by renowned artists, alongside showcasing the sport’s innovative path over the past 112 years.