Cycling could replace show jumping in modern pentathlon at Olympic Games

CHOFU JAPAN AUGUST 06 Annika Schleu of Team Germany fails a jump during the Riding Show Jumping of the Womens Modern Pentathlon on day fourteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Tokyo Stadium on August 06 2021 in Chofu Japan Photo by Dan MullanGetty Images
Annika Schleu (Germany) fails a jump during the Show Jumping in the Women's Modern Pentathlon at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021 (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

Cycling could replace the show jumping event that is part of the modern pentathlon at the Olympic Games. According to a report in The Guardian, Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) has voted to remove show jumping, a decision that was accelerated after a horse was punched by a coach at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Images and video footage show German coach, Kim Raisner, striking the horse, Saint Boy, after it did not jump a fence on course during the show jumping event of the modern pentathlon where rider Annika Schleu was in a bid for a gold medal. Her actions were deemed to be in violation of the UIPM competition rules (Rule 4.6.8).

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Kirsten Frattini
Deputy Editor

Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.

Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.

She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.