Modern pentathlon plans to ditch horse riding after Tokyo chaos

Modern pentathlon plans to ditch horse riding after disturbing scenes at the Tokyo Olympics and replace it with cycling, reported dpa, quoting British paper The Guardian on Tuesday.

The Guardian said it had been told by several sources that the executive board of the governing body UIPM voted in favour of such a change over the past days.

The multi-sport competition combines fencing, swimming, show-jumping and mix of cross-country running and laser pistol shooting in its current form, having already reformed in the past in order to keep its place at the Olympics.

Its future became even more uncertain after outrage over the scenes in Tokyo where German athlete Annika Schleu used the whip and spurs after her horse would not start the competition. The animal was then also hit by German coach Kim Raisner.

Athletes do not have their own horses but rather draw one from a pool and have only a few minutes to get acquainted with them.

The Guardian said that a UIPM statement on its future strategy would be made on Thursday, after the completion of its strategic meetings.

UIPM president Klaus Schormann said in Tokyo that horse riding would stay as a key component of the sport, and former British competitor Kate Allenby told The Guardian ditching riding would be "a disaster.

“This needs talking about because it’s not modern pentathlon if it hasn’t got riding in it,” she said.