FISpT is proud to announce a new committee Member: The Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne

The International Sport for All Federation is proud to announce a new committee Member: The 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 131 members as of 2026.

The idea of the modern pentathlon can be traced back to Pierre de Coubertin, whose guiding idea for the creation of this event already formed part of his concept of utilitarian gymnastics. At the 11th Session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Berlin in 1909, Coubertin finally managed to increase the IOC members’ awareness of the modern pentathlon. In Berlin, Stockholm was chosen as the host city for the Olympic Games in 1912. An organising committee was established in Sweden and chaired by Victor Balck. The Swedish committee was responsible for the organisation of the Olympic Games and its competitions, about which it took the committee almost until the eve of the Olympic Games to finalise the rules on modern pentathlon.

Modern Pentathlon was introduced at the fifth Olympiad in Stockholm (SWE) 1912, comprising the contemporary sports of pistol shooting, fencing, swimming, horse riding and running, which embraced the spirit of its ancient counterpart. It was 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.

Since the introduction of a Women’s Modern Pentathlon at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, the sport has enjoyed 50/50 gender equality. At the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, obstacle racing will replace horse riding as one of the five disciplines, in the latest in a series of evolutions designed to make the sport dynamic, relevant and attractive to contemporary audiences.

Marco Tomasini, CEO of FISpT, commented: “We are honoured to welcome the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne to the International Sport for All Federation. UIPM’s roots trace directly to Pierre de Coubertin, the father of sport, of sport for all, and of the modern pentathlon. His vision continues to inspire our shared commitment to promoting participation, inclusivity, and excellence through sport worldwide.”

UIPM is a multisport federation, taking care also of Laser Run, Obstacle (including Ninja and OCR disciplines), Obstacle Laser Run, Tetrathlon, Biathle, Triathle, and Para variants.

“FISpT welcomes UIPM, a true multisport federation embodying Sport for All by uniting disciplines like Modern Pentathlon, Laser Run, and the exciting new Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) under one umbrella. OCR stands out as the perfect tool to engage new generations, fostering inclusivity and broad participation across all ages and abilities in the global sport system. This partnership exemplifies how diverse sports can thrive together, promoting accessible, lifelong engagement.” stated the FISpT CEO, Marco Tomasini.