Recall: Five-time world champion Annika Schleu lost her chances of winning an Olympic medal on Friday. After two events – swimming and fencing 200 meters – the German was in the lead. She was almost sure of the medal now, but that all changed after the show jumped. There painted a horse saint Boywho did not want to cooperate with her at all. Instead On the Olympic podium, Shelio is in the thirty-first place.
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When Schleu tried to persuade the horse to cooperate, I burst into tears. Kim Reisner, her trainer, tried to salvage the situation, ran to the fence and hit the horse with her fist first, and after a while she demanded the same from Schleu. – Come and hit him right! success! – cried Reisner, and later explained in German media that she loves horses and hasn’t really done anything wrong. However, she was disqualified for her behavior and was disqualified from participating in the Olympic competition in Tokyo. This decision was made on Saturday, the day before the resumption of the modern pentathlon for men.
No one should see scenes like this.
There were claims right away that striking a clearly exhausted horse is nothing more than cruelty to animals. “The unruly horses were rushed, although they obviously didn’t want to jump over the obstacles or even get into the track. There were also howling riders who completely lost their temper. Several falls, the animals sweating with their eyes wide open, which even after a few fell They had to run until they finally reached the finish line and their suffering was over. No one should have seen such scenes. The modern pentathlon show at the Tokyo Olympics wasn’t a good advertisement for the sport. What happened in Baji was far from normal showjumping Koen Riding Park , and should be described as mere cruelty to animals, wrote Andreas Sten-Ziemons of Deutsche Welle.
It is not without reason that some time ago there was a discussion about replacing horse riding in pentathlon with modern ones (such as mountain biking). After Friday’s competition – wrote Sten-Ziemons – this discussion should be taken more seriously than before. “Riding specialists like World Champion Simon Bloom or Olympic Champion Ludger Bierbaum sat on their horses every day. They usually worked with their animals for years before reaching Olympic standards. Confidence, and most importantly: harmony between horse and rider are the prerequisites for successful showjumping.
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These are the problems of the modern pentathlon
contemporary problem piêciobojem It is in the rules and structures. In addition, the five bones are often not the best. They come from other disciplines (including swimming) and learn to ride late. Aside from the fact that they rarely train in the saddle, they do not compete for their horses. They pull it from the pond prepared by the organizers. Before the competition, the horse and rider only had 20 minutes to get used to each other. And Saint Boy – ironically: the holy boy – didn’t want to get used to it. Not only for Schleu, but also Russian pentacle Gulnaz Gbaidolin, who also refused to overcome the last hurdle.
– I saw that Gulnaz has problems. I even wanted to leave the beginning, because I also felt that it would not make sense – said Shlio, who finally took off. She is now under severe criticism for this. But not by everyone, because the German is also defended by five other players, incl. Her compatriot Lena Schoenborn, the 2008 Olympic champion at the Beijing Olympics. “I was surprised that Anais was not offered another horse,” said Schoenborn, who had a similar story five years ago at the Rio Olympics, where she ended up riding with no points.
“The risk of injury to the animal is very high”
Sten-Ziemons wrote: “Horses are certainly not bad at the Olympics, but in smaller competitions the situation is quite different, because no owner wants to lend good horses to ordinary riders. The risk of injury to the animal is simply too great.”
It also indicates the problem background Hoermann, president of the German Olympic Committee (DOSB), who, after a chaotic equestrian event at the Tokyo Olympics, called for urgent changes to the modern pentathlon. – Such situations indicate that the current situation is unacceptable. It threatens animal welfare and harms the reputation of discipline and athletes, Hormann said at a news conference on Saturday.
The statement was also released by the German Modern Fifth Federation (DVMF), which is also calling for the regulations to be changed. “Another such case shows that it is time to pay attention to it urgently. The focus should be on animal welfare and fair competition for athletes,” writes the DVMF, which tells the International Federation of Modern Pentathlon (UIPM) that it has even received a draft amendment to the regulations, where She will be allowed to compete for her horses.
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“It is impossible to tame a horse in such a short time.”
Ingrid Klimk, Twice gold Olympic medalist in the riding team from Beijing and London, the weekly “Horse and Hound” also appeals for an urgent change in regulations. Confidence and harmony for me are the foundations of dealing with a horse. Modern pentathlon regulations do not allow this. It is impossible to tame a horse in such a short time. It gets worse during a stressful event like the Olympics — says Klimke.
Critical sounds that come mostly from now German, there is more. The quintet has nothing to do with horse riding. Horses are nothing but a means of transportation that has nothing to do with athletes. They may also be competing on a bike or scooter, says Isabel Wirth, the seven-time Olympic riding champion who won silver In the individual race and gold in the dressage competition. – Shortly before the pentathlon competition, the horses were brought to the stadium. None of the riders had seen them before. So it is not a developed relationship. This is necessary in sports with such delicate creatures, which are treated as objects in the pentagram as an ordinary means to the end, adds Wirth.
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“Horse riding is an integral part of the modern pentathlon”
While many people are calling for a change in regulations or the abolition of riding in modern pentathlon, Klaus Schürmann responds to these claims. – I am very happy to organize the competition in Tokyo – said the president of the International Federation of Modern Pentathlon (UIPM) and suggested that all the problems lie with the athletes. – I see no reason to complain. It was only up to them whether they would be successful in certain competitions. As for the horses: they are well tested and groomed, and they are absolutely fine. It was a great competition – Schurmann repeated on Friday, but after another criticism on Sunday, the International Intellectual Property Union (UIPM) watered down the lead a bit. It issued a statement informing that it will be looking closely at the quintuple ride system in the near future.
“The UIPM regrets the trauma suffered by Saint Boy in this notorious incident, so we have been punished by a coach who collided a horse off the track, in violation of competition rules. However, riding is an integral part of modern pentathlon as he foretold years ago, should Baron Pierre de Coubertin, whose goal was to create a definitive test of the quality of moral and physical qualities, had to prove to the Olympic champion, in order to win the prestigious gold medal, his ability to swim and fencing, riding, shooting and running at a high level.æ Athletes riding foreign horses, who have Just 20 minutes to get to know it, is also part of the dramatic landscape that makes modern pentathlon unique and fascinating. Point out the welfare of horses and the safety of the athletes is of prime importance to us. In November, during the UIPM conference, there will be an opportunity to discuss the future of the pentathlon matches in Tokyo, but we will promote Also the importance of horse care and the safety of the athletes in the global structure of the competition.”
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The fact that horseback riding is the most popular lottery of modern pentathlon (swimming, cross-country running, archery, fencing and horseback riding) is also revealed in these games. Anna Malichoska. The Polish woman finally took 20th place, and Dicastino, a naughty horse, denied her her dream of a medal. Britain’s Kate French won the Olympic gold medal in the modern pentathlon. Silver went to the Lithuanian Laura Asadauskaite, and the bronze went to the Hungarian Sarolta Kovacs.
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