GENEVA, March 15 (Xinhua) -- The Federation Internationale de Sports d'Obstacles (FISO), the world governing body for obstacle sport, voted on Sunday to dissolve and integrate into the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM).

Delegates approved the move during the 12th FISO Congress and World Obstacle General Assembly, with 96.2 percent voting in favor and 3.8 percent abstaining. No delegates opposed the motion.

According to UIPM, the decision means it will become the sole global governing body for obstacle sports on August 10, 2026, following the final FISO World Championships. The dissolution of FISO will also allow integration processes to proceed at national and regional levels.

All national federations currently affiliated with FISO will transition to "UIPM Member Candidate" status and operate under integration principles during a transition period running until December 31, 2027.

"As UIPM is the only IOC-recognised International Federation governing obstacle sports, the joining of the two sporting movements enables all pentathlon multisports and standalone obstacle sports to be considered for inclusion in future Olympic Games," UIPM said in a statement.

UIPM President Rob Stull said the decision marked a milestone for both sporting communities.

"This feels like a tremendously historic moment that validates more than a decade of hard work and collaboration between our movements," said Stull, an Olympic pentathlete.

"The unification of pentathlon and obstacle communities is now, in international terms, complete. We stand on the brink of realising a vision to create the biggest multisports federation in the world." ■