Modern pentathlon votes to ditch horse riding after Tokyo Olympic turmoil

• Riding set to be replaced by cycling to preserve Olympic status
• Sport in spotlight after German coach punched horse in Tokyo

Modern pentathlon's governing body has secretly voted to remove horse riding from the sport and replace it with cycling, multiple sources have told the Guardian.

The decision, which is said to have been taken by the UIPM's executive board in recent days, was hastened by the distressing scenes at the Tokyo Olympics when a horse was punched by a German coach after refusing to jump a fence.