World Pentathlon Gives a Quick and Dismissive Response to IARA

Press Release / 21.01.2026

World Pentathlon (UIPM) have promptly responded to the IARA letter of 16 January 2026 regarding the stauts of Adventure Racing. 

The following it is the published statement from IARA.

While acknowledging our concerns they have taken no action at this stage and pushed the ‘problem’ of adventure racing down the line.

The email response from UIPM reads as follows:

Dear Mr. MacDonnell,

Thank you for your letter regarding the International Adventure Racing Association’s (IARA) views on adventure racing in relation to the ongoing integration between UIPM and World Obstacle (FISO).

UIPM has noted your position, however, as we understand it, that IARA hasn’t been a world governing body recognized by the IOC or SportAccord, thus, its claim to exclusive governance is not the one that UIPM can acknowledge within the established framework of international sports governance.

While we respect your passion for the sport, it is important to clarify that the integration with FISO is proceeding as a merger of organizations at this stage.

A review of the sporting disciplines within the newly integrated structure, including their governance and development pathways, will be an internal matter addressed following the completion of the organizational merger.

That said, we do appreciate your engagement, and your constructive input will be welcome in that future phase, within the formal framework of the detailed disciplines.

Kind regards

Shiny 

Shiny Fang | Secretary General

To put this response into context, UIPM have been aware of our position for some time and are aware that there are anomalies in World Obstacle’s claim on adventure racing. UIPM Secretary General Shiny Fang admitted in the UIPM 2024 Congress Minutes (Page 16, Nov 2024): “On the other hand, SF said Adventure was a different story, as UIPM was misled at the beginning about its status inside WO”.

It is important to note that World Obstacle (WO) is not recognised by IOC or Sport Accord or the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF) or the Alliance of Independent Recognized Members of Sports (AIMS). (They became an Observer member of the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) in 2021; this organisation was dissolved in 2022.)

The stakeholders in adventure racing do not acknowledge World Obstacle (WO). This organisation did not complete any due process to claim governance of our sport; which was added to their website by WO President Ian Adamson, a former adventure racer. World Obstacle subsequently sanctioned a small AR organisation (Adventure1), which was registered as a company in the USA by Mr Adamson, and subsequently deregistered. 

Prior to this, World Obstacle conducted no consultation within the wider adventure racing community, did not reach out to all of the existing national adventure racing organisations, and their Congress (national obstacle organisations) did not vote to include adventure racing. 

When Mr Adamson called a meeting for adventure racers (February 2023), adventure racing rejected World Obstacle’s advances outright both in the meeting and later through an extensive global consultation process that led to the formation of IARA.

Given that the UIPM members have already rejected Adventure Racing being included in the definition of Obstacle Sports to be absorbed into the organisation (at the 2024 congress), it is clear their National Federations have no desire to play any role in the sport against the wishes of its participants.  (Such a move could never work and UIPM must surely prioritise maintaining their Olympic status and a successful merger to this end.)

IARA will continue to make representations of our position to UIPM National Federations, National and International sporting bodies, IOC committees, and senior officials on behalf of the sport of Adventure Racing. We look forward to a future free of interference from organisations with no history or expertise in our sport.