The Olympic pentathlon drama about Annika Schleu has consequences. After the DOSB, the world association is also taking action against national coach Kim Raisner. In addition, calls for changes in the rules and regulations are getting louder.
Pentathlon national coach Kim Raisner has been excluded from the summer games in Tokyo because of her behavior in the Olympic drama around Annika Schleu. The World Federation of Modern Pentathlon announced this decision on Saturday, one day after the controversial scenes on the women’s final day. The trainer apparently hit the horse drawn from Schleu, which refused to take part in the course, with his fist, the UIPM justified the decision.
Winning the gold medal was within reach for Schleu from Berlin on Friday in Tokyo, but the loan horse Saint Boy who had been awarded her refused several times. The 31-year-old therefore remained without points and came in 31st in the end. Then there was heavy criticism of the athlete and Raisner. “Hit it right! Hit it!”, She had called out to Schleu – clearly audible on TV. The visibly overwhelmed athlete then desperately hit the insecure and frightened horse with the whip.
The DOSB had already reacted
The German Olympic Sports Confederation had previously announced that Raisner would not have an official role in the men’s competition on Saturday. You should have “neither on the course nor in the warm-up area,” said DOSB boss Alfons Hörmann after discussing the incident with Schleu, Raisner and Susanne Wiedemann, sports director of the German Association for Modern Pentathlon. This is the “best solution” to avoid “further question marks” about the trainer. It was a joint and consensual decision.
Hörmann initially left it open whether there could be further personnel consequences. The president of the umbrella organization said that the international rules in the pentathlon “urgently” needed a revision, but he did not want to make concrete proposals.
The national pentathlon association also called for the riding regulations to be adjusted. “Corresponding changes have already been worked out and proposed to the world association. However, this does not help Annika Schleu. She could not realize her dream of a medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo,” said the German Association for Modern Pentathlon.
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