Modern pentathlon bosses fear the sport will be thrown out of the Olympics entirely if they don't scrap horse riding, leaked documents say

• Modern pentathlon bosses have warned the sport will be cut from the Olympics if horse riding isn't ditched.
• Inside the Games shared information from UIPM documents leaked to the publication Wednesday.

Modern pentathlon's governing body has reportedly warned that keeping horse riding in the sport could lead to it being axed from the Olympics.

The Guardian reported on Tuesday that the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) has voted to remove the equestrian section from the sport and replace it with cycling in light of the controversy at the Tokyo Olympics.

German coach Kim Raisner was ejected from the games after she punched Annika Schleu's horse, Saint Boy, after the animal refused to jump over a fence during the show-jumping round of the women's event.

The UIPM told Insider that is was "untrue" that cycling would be replacing horse riding in the modern pentathlon, but said it was "not able to confirm or deny whether riding will be removed" from the sport.

An official statement on the sport's future direction is expected Thursday.

Ahead of the announcement, UIPM documents seen by Inside The Games suggest that the reported decision to remove riding has been made in a bid to retain the sport's Olympic status.

Inside the Games reports that in briefing notes sent to members of the UIPM Executive Board before it meets on Thursday, the UIPM warned that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would "only accept a proposal without riding" for the sport to be included in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic programme, which is set to be decided in December.

The notes also said that it would be "too late" to discuss axing riding at or after the UIPM Congress in late November because the "sport could already be off the Olympic programme at that time."

According to Inside The Games, the UIPM claimed it needed to present a solution to the IOC before November 24, adding that it must "present a new, fresh perspective to the TV audience in order to compete with new sports" at the games.

A list of criteria for the proposed replacement discipline was outlined, including it being low-cost, easily understandable, and having minimal injury rates.

Cycling was not referenced directly.

Great Britain's Joseph Choong, who won gold in the men's modern pentathlon in Tokyo, said on Tuesday that he would quit the sport if horse riding was replaced with cycling.

"It has been a shock to me. It is not nice to hear," he said. "If it changed to cycling, I wouldn't be in the sport. It would not suit me at all. I am sure a lot of athletes would feel the same.

"I feel sorry for the juniors who have come through the sport and started their riding lessons only to have it changed so drastically."