Overview
- TBS and the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne announced on Tuesday that they have signed a licensing agreement allowing UIPM to use selected 'Sasuke'/'Ninja Warrior' intellectual property and obstacle designs for Modern Pentathlon obstacle racing.
- Under the deal UIPM gains rights to specific program elements and obstacle designs from TBS so those features can be used in sanctioned obstacle-racing competitions.
- The agreement codifies changes the IOC approved in 2023 and follows UIPM’s creation of an obstacle-racing pathway that included a 2025 Obstacle World Championships in Beijing and the replacement of equestrian show jumping after Paris 2024.
- Both organizations said they will jointly promote the new format ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games and leaders framed the move as a way to bring primetime entertainment know-how into an Olympic sport.
- The tie-up is likely to standardize course design, shift athlete training toward obstacle skills, and aim to widen broadcast and spectator interest in the Modern Pentathlon as it prepares for LA28.