ESTORIL. Klaus Schormann has ruled the Union Internationale de Pentathlon de Moderne (UIPM) since 1993. In some respects, he sees himself as a kind of disciple of Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the Olympic movement. During this time, he has saved the Olympic status of his sport several times. He survived severe turmoil in 2021 and 2022, until obstacle riding replaced horse riding as the new discipline. Schormann remained president – and apparently wanted to remain so for a few more years. Until something decisive came up at the beginning of 2024.
Klaus Schormann was once again a guest at the Olympic House in Lausanne. The story goes that IOC President Thomas Bach is said to have had no time for him. The two have not been that close for a long time, with the UIPM causing the IOC too many problems. So an IOC director is said to have delivered the message and made it clear that the IOC does not want Schormann to serve another term, but rather a new leadership and a new president. Enough is enough. Otherwise, the pentathlon could suffer the same fate as boxing, which was under the IOC's wing twice at the Olympics.
Several sources report this. When asked here in Portugal, the IOC director in question would neither confirm nor deny this. IOC Vice President and presidential candidate Juan Antonio Samaranch, still First Vice President of the UIPM and probably also in Lausanne in January, does not want to comment on the Schormann case.
A few weeks later, there was a major UIPM meeting in Frankfurt am Main. Suddenly, there were claqueurs extolling the virtues of the great UIPM leader Schormann and wishing for a longer presidency. Just as we have known it for decades. Some mission had not yet been completed – and was to be successfully completed in two years on the way to Los Angeles.
‘In order to prepare future leadership for coming difficult times...’ Some say that it didn't stop at two years; on the way to Los Angeles, Klaus came up with something else.
Extending terms of office was all the rage back then (IOC, UEFA, etc.). Two more years for Schormann? Half a term? The UIPM statutes didn't allow it. But statutes can be interpreted as you like, as I showed you yesterday:
Jens Weinreich
In any case, there was little or no applause for the proposed choice. The majority of the officials were apparently speechless. A big, cold silence, which in these circles is a vote of no confidence and often the greatest possible resistance – according to the recollections of participants at the meeting.
To cut a long story short: at some point, Schormann apparently realised what was happening and decided on an honorary presidency. For life, as is customary. But of course with a certain amount of funding.
For years, $250,000 has been budgeted for the UIPM president's office in Darmstadt. Whether this sum has always been sufficient is not the issue at hand, perhaps later – and this $250,000 should also be for the business of the future UIPM honorary president.
For a small Olympic IF that could not survive without the IOC royalties from the TV marketing of the Summer Games, 250,000 USD is a huge amount. This is, for example, half of the amount that was estimated in the most recent UIPM financial statement (for 2022) as ‘Sport Development’ worldwide.
Even long-serving officials and Schormann disciples understand that. With 250,000 USD, which does not go to an office in Darmstadt that is already subsidised by German public funds, one could do something sensible: for sport. For the athletes. That kind of thing.
A rather serious dispute has therefore arisen over the 250,000 USD for the UIPM monarch, which the UIPM congress in the middle of November in the monarchy of Saudi Arabia must approve.
The American John Helmick, who has been on Schormann's board and as treasurer of the UIPM for an eternity, is said to have made it clear to the president on several occasions that he would not endorse such a sum.
And now it's getting dirty.
Schormann apparently began to discredit his long-standing ally, treasurer John Helmick. Those in the know testify that this is an unpleasant method of the amiable Klaus, who always smiles on the outside and gives the impression that he is a refined spirit and can't trouble the waters.
Schormann claimed, in front of third parties, that Helmick had stolen 6 million dollars from the UIPM, to mention just the most serious accusation.
When Helmick found out about it, and the UIPM world is a small one, he took action and formulated an ethics complaint that packs a punch.
Here you go:
