"Unfortunately we didn't have the time to make that plan a reality. It wasn't a big problem because modern pentathlon was very successful in London, particularly the conclusion of the event in Greenwich Park that provided the perfect backdrop for the event. But we think we can raise the bar even higher going forward in Rio and beyond.

"Nothing is finalised, but the IOC and Rio 2016 have been involved in the discussion throughout the process and they will continue to be involved going forward. But the plan is now clear which is why we have announced it.

"In a way it is better to announce it now because it is exactly 150 years from the birth of the founder of our sport and the founder of the Modern Olympic Games Baron Pierre de Coubertin. This is a nice birthday present for him for us to be announcing it now."


But for Schormann, the issue doesn't seem a grave concern.

"It is not the IOC who is suggesting we are going to leave the Olympic Games," he told me. "It is just speculation in the media. I am not saying that this is not important. The IOC obviously reads these publications and it does have an influence to some degree.

"But not once has any IOC member said to me or anybody at modern pentathlon that we are doing things wrong and in danger of leaving the Games. Even with all our history, which is important, which are one of the sports that is most ready to be innovative. You saw that with the laser shooting system and you see that again with the Pentathlon Stadium, which is already an existing Games venue so comes at no extra cost for an Organising Committee. So we don't focus on this, we focus on simply how to improve and innovate for the future."

Schormann, however, does touch on the grave consequences that removing the sport of the founder of the Modern Olympics from the Olympics would have on the Games. 


"If you take modern pentathlon out of the Olympics, you destroy the legacy Baron Pierre de Coubertin," he said. "That is how I see it. He was the man that invented for our sport for the Olympic Games.

"There were two things that Baron Pierre de Coubertin gave to the Olympic Movement. One was the Cultural Olympiad and the other was modern pentathlon. I am part of the IOC Commission for Culture and Olympic Education where we protect his cultural and educational legacy for the Games.

"The name Coubertin gave it was the Cultural Olympiad so we work hard not to change this because that was the name he gave. So to alter the Cultural Olympiad and its name would destroy his cultural and educational legacy for the Olympics and to remove modern pentathlon would destroy his sporting legacy for the Olympics."

But looking ahead to the IOC Executive Board meeting next month, modern pentathlon will have an ally more powerful than the memory of Coubertin. That is because new IOC Executive Board member Juan Antonio Samaranch junior of Spain is first vice-president of UIPM.

Samaranch junior is obviously the son of former IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch, arguably the most significant figure in the history of the Olympic Movement outside Coubertin. Samaranch senior was not considered a huge modern pentathlon fan, suggesting once that the sport's days in the Olympic Movement were numbered, before retracting the statement.

But this is largely irrelevant. What is relevant is that the influential Samaranch junior will be at the table when the IOC Executive Board meet and he will be fighting his sport's corner.

This is not lost on Schormann.


"You talk about Juan Antonio and you are right," he told me. "He has been one of our strongest supporters and has been involved for a long time in helping us improve our sport. But it is not just Juan Antonio who we have in terms of influential people in the Olympic Movement.

"We have Joel Bouzou as a vice-president who is President of the World Olympian Association (WOA) and Peace and Sport, we have Ivar Sisniega as a vice-president who has been Minister of Sport in Mexico and so many more people like this on our Executive Board. So Juan Antonio is very important for us, but he is not the only important one involved in helping make modern pentathlon the best it can possibly be."

The UIPM President concludes with the fact that the UIPM are not only targeting the Olympics, but the sport at all levels, which will do no harm to their chances of remaining an Olympic sport for many years to come.

"The UIPM is not only focused on the sport at the Olympic level; we are also using the new laser technology to complement modern pentathlon's development event, Biathle [run-swim-run] with a brand new event called Triathle which will see athletes run-shoot-swim. With the safe and environmentally friendly laser shooting, these events can now take place anywhere, such as in schools, city centres or even on beaches, which will allow us to spread our sport around the globe.

Lithuania's Laura Asadauskaite on her way to the Olympic gold medal at London 2012

"This year will also see the debut of the UIPM Mixed Relay World Cup series in five countries in four continents. Ever since the event was included at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games and the 2010 Senior World Championships, it has been the athletes and fans favourite event. UIPM is looking forward to expanding this exciting discipline with this new series, building towards the event's inclusion at Rio 2016.

"The next four years are set to be very exciting for UIPM, as we continue to grow our sport internationally, as reflected by six different nations from three continents winning medals at in London 2012 and as we increase our appeal to the youth, through our fun, innovative technology and our new development event Triathle.

"We are looking forward to a bright future."

Tom Degun is a reporter for insidethegames. To follow him on Twitter click here.