Lasers Replace Pistols for Modern Pentathlon at London Olympics
The Modern Pentathlon is a 5-discipline Olympic event that combines Horse Riding, Running, Swimming, Fencing, and Shooting. However it looks like there won’t be real shooting anymore, at least at the 2012 London Games.
Union International de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) President Klaus Schormann declared that laser guns will be used instead of air pistols in the Modern Pentathlon at the 2012 London Olympics. Schormann claimed the lasers would enhance safety and allow “competitions in parks and even shooting malls”. Last year, UIPM officials argued for the use of lasers to reduce the environmental impact of lead pellets from air pistols. Schormann stated: “The decision to introduce non-air pistol shooting … is a significant development in terms of lowering the environmental impact of the sport.” That’s nonsense — Pentathlon air pistols fire tiny 7-grain pellets that are easily captured by bullet traps, so there is virtually no environmental risk.
Sebastian, creator of the Snowflakes in Hell Blog, observed: “The reasoning of the [UIPM] committee is disturbing. I hope this doesn’t portend bad things to come with other Olympic shooting sports, whose environmental footprint is arguably worse.” One Snowflakes Blog reader astutely commented: “It would have been trivially easy to mandate lead-free pellets, if the ‘lead poisoning’ argument were the real reason behind this change. Replacing air pistols with lasers instead of a much simpler requirement to use nontoxic shot suggests that it was the ‘gun-ishness’ of the air pistols, and not the environmental impact, that may have been the primary driver here.”
Technical Problems with Laser Systems
British pentathlete Sam Weale recently challenged the use of lasers in Modern Pentathlon. According to the Inside the Games website, Weale claims persistent technical problems with the laser shooting system have rendered Modern Pentathlon a “lottery” which threatens the integrity of the sport. Olympians can not trust the electronic scoring systems, Weale argues. “It can’t go on, it is embarrassing,” said Weale, who, along with four other atheletes, lodged a protest over malfunctioning targets at the recent European Championships.
Read Full Story on Modern Pentathlon Protest by UK Pentathlete Sam Weale.
UIPM Decision Criticized by USA Shooting & ISSF
The Outdoor Wire’s Jim Shepherd polled leading shooting sports officials and found widespread criticism of the UIPM decision to replace pistols with laser devices. According to Shepherd: “USA Shooting and International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) dislike the change. Their position is simple, the laser gun takes much out of the ‘shooting’ element of external conditions (pistol and pellet accuracy) and turns shooting ‘into an arcade game’. They view it as a possible threat to shooting, moving away from what is ‘shooting sport’.”
EDITOR’s Comment: One wonders if the UIPM’s next move will be to replace fencing foils and sabres with Wii computer-game controllers — in the interest of safety. And shouldn’t the UIPM replace Pentathletes’ four-legged equine mounts with hobby-horses to reduce solid waste and methane emissions?
Similar Posts:
- No More Air Pistols for Modern Pentathlon — Politically Correct Lasers Instead
- Pistol Laser Systems from Viridian — Instant-On Capability
- Lasers for Handguns — Improve Your Skills with Training Videos
- LaserLyte Offers Laser Integrated into Pistol Rear Sight
- Blazing Muzzles: Starlight 3-Gun Next Week in West Virginia
Share the post "Lasers Replace Pistols for Modern Pentathlon at London Olympics"
Tags: Air Pistol, Lasers, London, Olympics, Pentathlon, UIPM, UK
Antigun terrorists lovers stick it to tradition and freedom – let Europe fall, they deserve what they get.
It turns the sport into a computer game. It’s no longer a firearm, it’s a data imput device. What’s the next Olympic sport, typing?
I think “Union International de Pentathlon Moderne” says it all!
We’re just as appalled at this commy liberalist decision as every other shooter. This has got nothing left to do with shooting and is a tragedy for shooting sports over the world.
Next we will see BR and F-Class with lasers, wtf?!?!?!
This could be the beginning of the end for firearm-based competitions!
I think its time the shooting community complained about LIGHT POLLUTION,
Where exactly do you buy a Laser Target Pistol? I have never seen one, anywhere. Perhaps the competitors can imagine shooting instead. It would be far safer than the dangers of Laser Light.
Hmmmm… What will they do when someone figures out how to increase the laser power to “death ray” levels?
When the real competitors have had enough then a new Shooting Organization will emerge with the stipulation that this is “real target Competition” and the other will just fade away. I’m sure the competitors in this are not too happy either.
What an absolutely atrocious decision! Another international sport “run” by fools. I have a cat with more sense than is being displayed here.
Why !$%# bother! This is not shooting anymore. This environmental thing has gone way over the top. Now it’s cool to be an idiot! (environmentalist). I see this type of environmental crap creeping into the shooting industry. And its high time we pulled back on the reins.’ I wont be watching people compete with pseudo weapons, what a joke.
Forget snow, forget wind, forget terrain… ‘technology’ can build suitable “faux” slaloms, board pipes, sailing courses, velodromes, bicycle road courses.
Think of it! No more closed roads, no more fees to police to keep spectators safe, no more injured downhill racers. No more custom fabric swimming gear, exotic material skis, snow boards, one-designs…. Save bundles of cash!! Need but a warehouse (and sufficient electric power to keep all the cameras running) to “capture” the “athletes” when thy get their chance to “perform” on the simulations.
Oh I forgot – who’d want to watch any of this drivel? There goes all the funding from sponsors.
‘Olympic’ sports will be back to naked brawlers out behind the barn in no time.
Hurray! All those hours playing “Duck Hunt” on my NES will finally pay off!