Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne


The International Modern Pentathlon Union ,'' commonly known by the acronym UIPM, has been the international governing body of modern pentathlon since its foundation in London in 1948.
Its headquarters are in Monaco and it has 115 national federation members in 2018 and 133 members in 2024. Modern pentathlon was introduced at the fifth Olympiad in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1912, comprising the contemporary sports of pistol shooting, fencing, swimming, horse riding and running, which embraced the spirit of its ancient counterpart.

Sports

UIPM also governs the multi-disciplinary sports Laser Run, Tetrathlon, Biathle, Triathle and World Schools Biathlon, which have been created as development sports aimed at growing global participation rates in UIPM sports and offering more athletes an entry point to modern pentathlon. UIPM is a member of the International Olympic Committee, the Global Organisation of International Sport Federations and the Federation of International University Sport, and since joining the International Paralympic Committee it has operated a para-sports programme.
9 sports with first year played:
  1. Modern Pentathlon
  2. Biathle
  3. Tetrathlon -
  4. Masters
  5. Triathle
  6. Para Pentathlon
  7. University Pentathlon
  8. Laser Run
  9. Obstacle

    Former

The International Biathlon Union was founded in London on 2 July 1993. This occurred when the National Biathlon Union in London/Heathrow decided to exclude biathlon from the World federation UIPMB, which it had been part of since 1953, forcing biathlon to form their own international federation. During the congress the new federation elected their executive committee and the 57 existing members of the UIPMB were automatically transferred to the IBU. However the International Olympic Committee did not recognise the IBU as an international Olympic winter sport federation until August 1998. In the same year the Global Association of International Sports Federations declared the IBU as a proper member. The IBU settled in Salzburg, Austria in June 1999. A congress is held every two years, and is considered the most important organ of the IBU according to its constitution. The first congress was held in Salzburg in 1994.

Members

UIPM: Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America and NORCECA.
  1. European Confederation of Modern Pentathlon 1991
  2. Confédération Africaine de Pentathlon Modern 2001
  3. Asian Modern Pentathlon Confederation 1987
  4. North, Central and Caribbean Confederation of Modern Pentathlon
  5. Oceania Modern Pentathlon Confederation
  6. Pan American Confederation of Modern Pentathlon 1951

    History

The Greek Olympic Games Pentathlon

The Pentathlon was introduced for the first time at the 18th Olympiad in 708 BC and held a position of unique importance in the Games. It was considered to be the climax, with the winner ranked as "Victor Ludorum". Admiration for the Ancient Pentathlon was fully shared by the founder of the Modern Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin and from 1909 he tried to have the event re-introduced into the Olympic programme. Pentathlon's moment came two years later at the 14th session of the International Olympic Committee in Budapest when, as the Baron stated: "the Holy Ghost of sport illuminated my colleagues and they accepted a competition to which I attach great importance".

The Modern Pentathlon

was introduced at the fifth Olympiad in Stockholm 1912, comprising the contemporary sports of pistol shooting, fencing, swimming, horse riding and running, which embraced the spirit of its ancient counterpart. It was De Coubertin's belief that it would be this event, above all others, that "tested a man's moral qualities as much as his physical resources and skills, producing thereby the ideal, complete athlete." This new sport was enthusiastically adopted with its inherent demands of courage, co-ordination, physical fitness, self-discipline and flexibility in ever changing circumstances. A young American Lieutenant, later to be the famous World War II General, George S. Patton, was to finish fifth in the first Olympic Modern Pentathlon competition. The mixture of physical and mental skills demanded in the Pentathlon has also meant that athletes have been able to compete in as many as three or four Olympic Games. This is because while running and swimming times can be expected to decline with age, experience and skill in the technical disciplines often increase.

Administration of Modern Pentathlon

Modern Pentathlon was administered directly by the IOC until 1948, when the International Modern Pentathlon Union was founded by a group who elected Tor Wibom as the first UIPM president. Gustaf Dyrssen from Sweden took over in 1949 with Sven Thofelt serving as secretary general. Thofelt succeeded Dyrssen in 1960 and served as president for 28 years.
In 1960, Biathlon was introduced to the Olympic programme. Biathlon had joined the Union in 1953, and the organization thereafter became the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne et Biathlon. In 1993, an agreement was made to retain as an umbrella body under which the UIPM and the International Biathlon Union could act autonomously. The UIPMB however, continued to be the only international multi-sport organisation recognised by the IOC.
Until 1998, the President of Modern Pentathlon acted as President of the Union during the two years prior to the Summer Olympic Games, and the President of the Biathlon acted as such for two years prior to each of the Winter Games. Having matured into an organisation capable of continuing on its own, the IBU decided on 26 June 1998, to exist autonomously. The separation from the UIPMB took effect on 20 August 1998, creating two distinct International Federations – the UIPM and IBU, both of which are recognised by the IOC and GAISF.

Sports development

Biathle

Designed as a 'Sport for All', Biathle has been practised for over 50 years. Through Biathle the UIPM has established a competition composed of the two fundamental components of Modern Pentathlon and most practised sports in the world – run and swim.
The Biathle has universal appeal. It is inexpensive to organise, simple to understand, can be viewed from a single location, and organised practically anywhere in the world at any time of the year. The Biathle competition begins with a pack start of runners who complete one-half of the total running distance before entering a 50-meter transition area. Athletes then dive into the water and swim the required distance before exiting the water, putting on their shoes and running the second leg. The first person to cross the finish line wins. The race distances vary with the age groups concerned. The first Biathle World Championships took place in Monaco in 1999 and the Biathle World Tour started in 2002 to include up to six competitions in various locations throughout the year. Medals are awarded to the top three athletes in each age group in both the World Championships and the World Tour.

World Schools Biathlon

In 2005 UIPM launched a new competition linked to the success of Biathle. The event consists of swimming and running. The swimming discipline is conducted in a 25m or 50m pool and the running discipline is conducted preferably on a standardised track. Swimming is conducted first and running is by mass start. The final result is the sum of the swimming and running points. The originality of the World Schools Biathlon is that schools take part in this international competition by entering their results in a global database using the UIPM website directly from their location. Therefore, this competition does not require any funding for transportation or lodging. All can be made 'at home' by the registered physical education teacher or coach.

Triathle

Triathle was officially approved by UIPM in November 2012 as a development sport and, in combination with Biathle, it is an integral part of UIPM sports development. Through Triathle, the UIPM has established a platform to encourage new generations to practise modern pentathlon starting from the basic disciplines of running and swimming and progressing into laser shooting.
Triathle is also very easy to organise and the beach triathle, as performed at the inaugural 2013 World Triathle Championships in Cyprus, has showcased how athletes of all ages can perform in a competition that is delivered with low-cost equipment at no extra cost for the participants.
Triathle normally begins with a pack start of runners for the first 25m, followed by the first series of five shots with the laser pistol. After the next running leg the athletes approach the transition area and swim before finishing with a final running leg. As usual, the first person crossing the finish line will be declared the winner. The race distances vary with the age groups concerned.
Triathle has featured on the Modern Triathle World Tour, the Asian Youth and Asian Beach Games.

The five events

Fencing

Fencing is a series of one-touch bouts with épée swords. The fencing event of modern pentathlon is a round-robin tournament, with a single touch deciding each match. The fencing event is held usually in an indoor arena on special strips measuring long and between wide. Each competitor has a bout against every other competitor. Bouts last for one minute, the winner being the first fencer to score a hit. If neither scores a hit, both competitors register a defeat, a double hit, doesn't count. Point penalties are awarded for a variety of infringements including hitting the épée on anything other than the opponent to register to a hit, crossing the boundary line with both feet or to avoid a hit, dangerous play and when a fencer turns their back on the opponent. Seventy percent of bouts won correspond to 1000 pentathlon points. Each win is called a victory and each loss a defeat. Each victory over or under the 70% mark is worth a specific point value and this number is in accordance with the number of competitors:
  • 22–23 bouts gives ± 40 points
  • 24–26 bouts gives ± 36 points
  • 27–29 bouts gives ± 32 points
  • 30–33 bouts gives ± 28 points
  • 34–39 bouts gives ± 24 points
Example: 36 competitions means 35 bouts, 70% of 35 bouts = 25 victories = 1000 points, 23 victories are therefore worth 952 Pentathlon points.