Calacus Weekly Hit & Miss – Pentathlon United and John Yems
Every week we look at the best and worst communicators in the sports world from the previous week.
HIT - PENTATHLON UNITED
One of the enduring memories of Tokyo 2020 was the horrifying moment when German coach Kim Raisner punched a horse that had been shy to attempt jumps during the equestrian competition of the Olympic Games Modern Penathlon.
The shocking incident saw Raisner sent home amid accusations that rider Annika Schleu was also too vigorous with her whip.
With the sport’s future participation at the Olympic Games under threat and its place at LA2028 in doubt, the sport decided that it needed to make radical changes and UIPM, the International Modern Pentathlon Union, later announced that it would scrap equestrian from the event.
Modern Pentathlon has been a core Olympic event since 1912 featuring show jumping, fencing, pistol shooting and cross-country running but has been criticised for failing to adapt to the modern world.
After undertaking a ‘review,’ UIPM later announced that it had decided to include two variations of an ‘obstacle discipline’ for testing to replace the horse riding section.
The UIPM New 5th Discipline Working Group said that in reaching its decision, it “rigorously followed” pre-established criteria set out by the UIPM including “athletes' views, medical aspects (including workload, injuries and anti-doping), TV, media and marketing opportunities."
UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann said: “The New 5th Discipline Working Group has conducted its work with clear direction and a commitment to expertise, resulting in thought-provoking discussions and strong conclusions.
“The guidance provided by the IOC around the selection of an alternative discipline for Modern Pentathlon has been closely followed, with athletes playing a central role in this process.”
However, UIPM immediately faced opposition from athletes, who urged it to reform the show-jumping phase rather than remove it, and fears were raised that the decision had been affected by the presence in the working group of Robert Stull of the United States, who is also on the Central Board of World Obstacle, also known as the Federation Internationale de Sport d’Obstacles (FISO).
“The UIPM is fully aware the decision... will come as a disappointment to many members of our global community who love the sport in its current form, including those athletes who have developed their riding ability over many years of training,” Schormann told Reuters.
The response from the athletes has seen Modern Pentathlon front and centre in sports news, criticising the process as well as the decision.
Australia’s 2016 Olympic champion Chloe Esposito believes the decision changes the very fabric and soul of the sport.
“It is heart-breaking. I don’t know if I can really keep being interested in watching and following along – it won’t feel like pentathlon any more,” Esposito told the Sydney Morning Herald last year.
“I’ve been riding since I was 10. Young athletes have worked hard on their riding. All that goes to waste.”
Penathlon United, which is campaigning for new governance and an overhaul of the sport, echoed concerns about the decision to include obstacle events: “We've long suspected that OCR (Obstacle Course Racing) was at the forefront of the UIPM EB's agenda in replacing riding. The decision to only test OCR and not any of the other apparent 60 options they considered just highlights this further.”
A group of 667 athletes, including Britain's Tokyo 2020 champions Joe Choong and Kate French, the Czech Republic's London 2012 gold medallist David Svoboda, and Sydney 2000 bronze medallist Kate Allenby of Britain have called for Schormann and the entire Executive Board to resign following a decision they described as having “undermined 109 years of Modern Pentathlon.”
Allenby, who has led the campaign against UIPM, told the Guardian the situation was serious and said: “We face the biggest threat to our existence in over 100 years.
“Instead of open honest and transparent dialogue about future direction for our sport, the UIPM leadership has chosen to maintain a closed and secretive process with non-disclosure agreements placed on anyone involved in the working group.
“It is a hallmark of the way this UIPM leadership has run our sport for decades. It has led to our sport being removed from the Olympics. As the athletes have made overwhelmingly clear in our survey this is no longer acceptable to them.”
Choong said that the consultation process did not allow any time for debate: “You had to sign up, we were all muted. You had 4-5 seconds to ask a question and no chance to respond to the answer. There was no consultation, no discussion.
“Out of 16 board members they had 13 white men over 60 enjoying the sound of their own voices and ignoring the younger athletes. It wasn’t a conversation. It was very much a master-servant dialogue. It’s not good enough.”
Choong was also one of five modern pentathletes to send a letter to International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach calling for an independent investigation into the sport, which it says is in "crisis."
“The UIPM’s consultation process has been illusory at best and, it would appear, designed only to legitimise a predetermined outcome (which we are advised will be obstacle racing in collaboration with World OCR).
“The IOC was clear in its expectation that athletes must play a central role in the review and consultation process for a fifth discipline. This has not happened. Certainly, the athlete body has been excluded from any meaningful participation.
"It is clear that the UIPM does not engage, represent or listen to its athletes, as so breaches the Olympic Charter, which recognizes the athletes as 'a fundamental element of the Olympic Movement'.
“In taking these steps, the UIPM has catalyzed broader, longstanding concerns from the athletes about the management, governance and probity of the UIPM.”
The group said it found that over 95% of respondents are unhappy with how the UIPM has conducted the riding replacement process and that more than 90% believe “the UIPM is not capable of building a strong future for the sport.”
Tellingly, nearly 80% of athletes surveyed said that it’s unlikely they will stay in the sport if the equestrian discipline is removed.
The co-ordinated and consistent campaign by Choong, Allenby and others has certainly put Modern Pentathlon’s governance into focus and raised concerns about their executives’ adherence to the Olympic Charter.
Whether it will have any impact remains to be seen.
For his part, President Bach says modern pentathlon’s fate will be decided by the start of next year.
He said: “The situation is that we have not yet decided about the inclusion of modern pentathlon for the Olympics of 2028. We are waiting now for the decisions to be taken in the international federation. We are also monitoring how they are taken.”
“After this, the Executive Board of the IOC will make a decision either later this year or, at the latest, the beginning next year.”
MISS – JOHN YEMS
Football is widely known as ‘the beautiful game’ and certainly captures the hearts and imagination of billions of people across the world.
But for all its excitement and drama, diversity is one aspect of football that needs constant attention.
We’ve seen racism on the terraces and even the England team taking the knee in the face of boos from their own fans; while homophobia is such that despite the rainbow laces campaign that takes place every year, no gay player has come out in England while still playing, with Josh Cavallo making world headlines after admitting his sexuality in Australia.
The days where the National Front had kiosks at league clubs may have passed and grounds now have a significantly more multicultural fanbase than in years past.
In governance and management, diversity is almost non-existent and the game needs further support and initiatives to make it happen.
So it came as no shock this week when Crawley Town manager John Yems left his job after allegations of racism levelled against him made his position untenable.
Yems, who has been in charge since 2019, was initially suspended indefinitely by the League Two side after the accusations came to light a fortnight ago.
The Football Association confirmed it was investigating the 62-year-old with the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) also made aware of the problems.
Before his inevitable departure, acting Crawley head coach Lewis Young admitted he could understand the support for Yems from fans after a third successive defeat since the 62-year-old’s suspension.
It says much about the education society needs to go through that the fans chanted “We want our Yems back” throughout the whole game when they lost 2-0 to Leyton Orient.
The accusations against Yems are damning.
According to a report in the Daily Mail, Yems used language including ‘suicide bomber’, ‘terrorist,’ ‘curry muncher’ and ‘Zulu Warrior’, as well as running a segregated training ground where the club’s black footballer use a separate changing room.
He is alleged to have said to white players: ‘Don’t change in the black boys’ room,’ and banished two players with ethnic minority backgrounds from training with the first team without explanation.
Seven Crawley players have complained to the PFA last month, with at least one seeking counselling as a result of the damage the manager did to his mental health.
One of the players told the Mail: “It’s been going on since 2020-21 — in the changing room, during training. No one challenged him on it as he’s the gaffer and we didn’t feel we could. Sometimes players say things in the heat of the moment but from the manager it’s different. He’s the boss, so it’s an abuse of his power.
“I’ve been in a dark place and really struggled. Two players were effectively kicked out of the club last year for no reason. They were made to train on their own and haven’t been seen since. One of the lads said Yems was screaming in their faces, ‘F*** off you c***s, get out of our club.’”
A staff member at the club also explained how problematic Yems’ conduct has become. They said: “John would see it as banter, but it’s race-related bullying that has had a damaging effect on several players.
“Some of them would play along but it’s really hurtful, and many of them are young boys. People were uncomfortable, but most of the players opted to keep their heads down and you can understand why.”
Crawley were taken over by US cryptocurrency investors WAGMI United in April and new co-chairman Preston Johnson said the club would begin a "global search" for their new manager.
A statement, which omitted the allegations or context of the departure, said: “Crawley Town Football Club announced on Friday that it has mutually agreed to part ways with John Yems, effective immediately.
“We’re looking forward to the next era of Crawley Town Football Club,” said Preston Johnson, co-chairman of Crawley Town FC.
“We have an opportunity to build on more than 125 years of rich history and take this club to the next level. We’re eager to partner with our players and supporters as we build a team and community that Red Devils fans can continue to be proud of — both on and off the pitch.”
The club described the allegations as ‘serious and credible’ with any potential punishment now down to FA’s disciplinary department, who are to decide whether to charge Yems with a breach of rule E3, which prohibits discrimination against another individual’s protected characteristics such as race, colour, religion, sexual orientation or disability.
For his part, Yems has refused to comment or provide any sort of defence and called the police when he was doorstepped by a Sky reporter.
Whether this is an end to the matter remains to be seen.
The owners of Crawley have not spoken to media about the situation or what they will do to ensure that it does not happen again - and for the players, sponsors, commercial partners and fans, addressing any cultural misconduct will no doubt have a huge bearing on their long-term reputation.