Overview
- UIPM announced on Tuesday that it has licensed Sasuke/Ninja Warrior intellectual property from Tokyo Broadcasting System to use specific obstacle designs and program elements in the Modern Pentathlon at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
- The deal cements the IOC's 2023 decision to replace the equestrian show‑jumping leg with obstacle racing and follows multi‑year tests with TBS that began in 2022.
- UIPM staged its first Obstacle World Championships in Beijing in 2025 as part of the phased rollout that validated the new discipline before the Olympic inclusion.
- Some current pentathletes have protested the change, arguing years of training and expense in horse riding have been rendered moot, while UIPM and TBS emphasize the move will boost spectator appeal and TV‑friendly staging.
- Final technical rules and detailed course formats for LA28 have not yet been released, and the partnership could shift the sport’s TV profile through cross‑promotion and broad use of Ninja‑style obstacles.