Pentathlete Annika Zillekens worries about the future of the sport ahead of the World Championships. “If the pentathlon is no longer Olympic, it’s more or less a death sentence.”
The modern pentathlon looks with concern at the possibility of the sport being eliminated from the Olympics. “If the pentathlon is no longer Olympic, it’s more or less the death sentence,” said the three-timer Olympic starter Annika Zillekens.
“We all know it’s on the brink”, said Zillekens before the start of the World Cup on Monday (08/21/2023) in British Bath. At the Olympic Games in Paris, the all-around is part of the program, and the controversial riding is still carried out as a sub-discipline.
Future of modern pentathlon at Olympics uncertain
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will probably decide whether to stay in Los Angeles 2028 at the session in Mumbai in October. The world association UIPM wants to convince the IOC with reforms. In the future, the new obstacle competition (“obstacle“) riding.
Outrage at the Olympic Games in Tokyo
A scandal broke out in Tokyo two years ago about Zillekens, who was born in Schleu. On course for gold, her drawn horse Saint Boy bucked in show jumping. In tears, she tried to bring the animal back into the course with spurs and whip. The TV pictures made negative headlines around the world.
“We don’t know exactly what the IOC will decide”said Zillekens, who will retire after Paris 2024: “It’s such a fringe sport. If all Olympic sponsorship projects are dropped, then it will be very difficult to keep the pentathlon on a good basis.”
national coach Raisner: “Days are numbered” without the Olympics
National coach Kim Raisner sees it similarly. “If the sport flies out of the Olympic program, I’m not sure if the pentathlon will survive”, she said. If the public funds should no longer flow like this, “I don’t know how good the chances of survival are. I think the days are numbered.”