The world is right now counting down for the upcoming Paris Olympics. However, for the past few days, making all the news is the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. With the approval of a fresh set of sports, it is taking away a fair share of the spotlight. The International Olympic Committee recently held a session in Mumbai, India, where they included as many as five sports in the biggest sporting spectacle of the world. In addition, the Committee made a resounding decision in the session, marking an exciting leap for the LA28. 

In the world of sports, Modern Pentathlon has been under the spotlight in the past few days. As a significant development, the IOC has set the stage for the LA 2028 Olympics by approving the sport. However, this prestigious event carries a particular condition that adds an intriguing twist to the upcoming games. 

Modern Pentathlon’s Evolution: From Horse Riding to Obstacle Racing

A recent report by the IOC session endorsed the suggestion put forward by the IOC Executive Board to include modern pentathlon on the list of sports to be included in LA28. However, the IOC has acknowledged the replacement of horse riding with obstacle racing as it would not only reduce costs but also complexity, according to an article by Olympics.com.

Moreover, IOC EB also mentioned that the International Modern Pentathlon Union must implement “necessary changes” in governance while modernizing the organization. This simply means that without the replacement of horse riding with obstacles, the modern Pentathlon would not have been included in the upcoming Olympics 2028. 

Even though modern pentathlon is not part of the LA 28 Olympics, it is on the docket for the 2024 Paris Olympics this summer. In addition, the Paris Olympics 2024 will feature horse racing for the last time in the Olympics. However, this is not the first time any such move has been taken in the history of world events. As in the Tokyo Games 2021, the sports witnessed the same situation where obstacles replaced equestrians. 

What Led to the Change in Modern Pentathlon?

This dramatic makeover for the Tokyo games has various pros and cons. While for some, it was a sport-altering move, others believed that it was a necessary step to be taken. Eventually, the pressure for replacing the horse racing was built after the Tokyo games with the risk of being dropped from the LA28. 

Consecutively, the choice that athletes had was to start practicing with obstacles instead of horses. These obstacles included a course comprised of ring swings, climbing walls, and rope mazes. In an exclusive interview with AP News, Kate Allenby, a two-time Olympian and a representative for Pentathlon United, said, “The sport getting back in, that’s brilliant. Athletes will have an Olympic experience. That’s wonderful. I wouldn’t want to take that away from anybody,”. 

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The journey from ancient pentathlon to modern pentathlon has many aspects. While some spectators are triumphant that the sport will be included in LA28, others believe that bidding farewell to the horses will completely change the sport. However, not the major question is: Is it still pentathlon?

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