Modern pentathlon body approves obstacle course discipline to replace horse riding – Home of the Olympic Channel

Modern pentathlon’s international governing body (UIPM) approved the addition of an obstacle course discipline as it bids to stay in the Olympic program.
UIPM adopted the new event by member federations vote at its congress on Saturday, six months after it chose to test out the obstacle discipline from among 60 proposals to replace horse riding.
The sport’s international governing body said last year that horse riding had to be removed to boost the chances of keeping modern pentathlon’s place in the Olympics beyond 2024.
UIPM has said horse riding will remain part of the modern pentathlon at the 2024 Paris Games. The obstacle discipline would make its Olympic debut in 2028, should modern pentathlon be on the program at those Games.
Of the 97 member federations in attendance Saturday, 83 voted and 69 of them voted in favor of the obstacle discipline. Eleven voted against and three abstained.
“The result provides UIPM with a mandate to propose a new-look modern pentathlon – with obstacle discipline replacing riding – to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games,” according to a Saturday press release from UIPM.
UIPM previously called it “the biggest shakeup” since the sport made its Olympic debut in 1912.
The sport has been on the Olympic program ever since but was not on the initial sports list for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Neither was boxing nor weightlifting, sports with organizational and doping problems to address. Sports can still be added to the 2028 program as early as next year.
It has been reported that horse riding was encouraged to be replaced from modern pentathlon after an incident of horse abuse at the Tokyo Olympics — a German coach hit a horse that refused to jump — but IOC President Thomas Bach did not mention that in his public comments about the event’s Olympic future last December.
“They must demonstrate a significant reduction in cost and complexity and improvements across the areas for safety, accessibility, universality, appeal for youth and general public,” Bach said then.
Star modern pentathletes have voiced disapproval of replacing horse riding with an obstacle discipline. Reigning Olympic champion Joe Choong of Great Britain reportedly said he will quit the sport if and when the change is implemented.
The other modern pentathlon events are fencing, swimming and a combined running and shooting event. Modern pentathlon was created by the founder of the modern Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, and has roots in the duties required of a soldier from the late 19th century.
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American Noah Lyles and world record breakers Mondo Duplantis of Sweden and Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya are among five finalists for World Athletics Male Athlete of the Year.
Lyles, bidding to be the first U.S. man to win the award since decathlete Ashton Eaton in 2015, broke Michael Johnson‘s American record in the 200m in winning the world title in the event in 19.31 seconds in Eugene, Oregon, in July. He became the third-fastest man in history behind Jamaicans Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake.
Duplantis, the Louisiana-raised Swede, upped his pole vault world record three times in 2022 and swept the world indoor and outdoor and Diamond League titles in the event.
Kipchoge broke his own world record in the marathon, clocking 2 hours, 1 minute, 9 seconds to prevail in Berlin on Sept. 25.
The other finalists are Moroccan steeplechaser Soufiane El Bakkali, who went undefeated in 2022, including world and Diamond League titles, and Norwegian runner Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the world outdoor 5000m champion who ran the world’s fastest mile in 21 years.
The Female Athlete of the Year finalists were announced Monday.
The finalists for each award were chosen from 10 nominees via three-way voting process that ended Oct. 31: World Athletics Council (50%), World Athletics family (25%) and a fan vote (25%) via Facebook, Instagram and YouTube likes and Twitter retweets on the post for the specified athlete.
Winners will be named in early December.
Jamaican Elaine Thompson-Herah and Norwegian Karsten Warholm won the awards last year.
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MELBOURNE, Australia — Novak Djokovic is set to be granted a visa to play in next year’s Australian Open despite his high-profile deportation in January.
The Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Tuesday said it had confirmed newspaper reports that the immigration minister had overturned a potential three-year exclusion period for Djokovic.
The Australian Border Force has previously said an exclusion period could be waived in certain circumstances — and that each case would be assessed on its merits.
Immigration Minister Andrew Giles’ office declined comment on privacy grounds, meaning any announcement on Djokovic’s visa status would have to come from the 35-year-old Serbian tennis star.
The 21-time Grand Slam singles champion wasn’t allowed to defend his Australian Open title this year after a tumultuous 10-day legal saga over his COVID-19 vaccination status that culminated with his visa being revoked on the eve of the tournament.
Djokovic arrived at Melbourne Airport as the world’s top-ranked tennis player with a visa he’d obtained online and what he believed to be a valid medical exemption to the country’s strict laws for unvaccinated travelers because it was endorsed by Tennis Australia and the government of Victoria state, which hosts the tournament.
Confusion reigned, generating global headlines. As it transpired, that medical exemption allowed him entry to the tournament, which required all players, fans and officials to be vaccinated for the coronavirus, but not necessarily to enter the country. It was rejected by the Australian Border Force.
Alex Hawke, Australia’s immigration minister at the time, used discretionary powers to cancel Djokovic’s visa on character grounds, stating he was a “talisman of a community of anti-vaccine sentiment.”
Australia has had a change of government and changed its border rules this year and, since July 6, incoming travelers no longer have to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccinations. That removed the major barrier to entry for Djokovic.
It allowed him to apply to Giles to reconsider his visa status. In his favor, Djokovic left Australia quickly after his visa was revoked and has not publicly criticized Australian authorities.
As the Department of Home Affairs website explains, applicants in Djokovic’s circumstances must explain in writing to Australia’s border authorities why the exclusion period should be put aside — “you must show us that there are compassionate or compelling circumstances to put aside your re-entry ban and grant you the visa.”
Djokovic indicated Monday at the ATP Finals in Italy that his lawyers were communicating with the Australian government with a view to him contesting the Jan. 16-29 Australian Open.
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