In a united statement seen by insidethegames, which the athletes issued to show solidarity against the UIPM's decision to remove riding from the five-sport programme and replace it with a yet to be determined discipline, 12 medallists since Beijing 2008 have criticised the sport's governing body and called on it to cooperate with the athletes to find a solution to the sport without axing riding from the programme.

The response comes prior to a meeting between athletes and the UIPM Executive Board today, which the UIPM promised after almost 700 athletes signed a letter calling on UIPM President Klaus Schormann and the Executive Board to resign.

On November 6, the UIPM produced a new statement saying it was "fully aware of the concerns voiced by current and former athletes relating to the Executive Board decision to replace riding in modern pentathlon" and promised an "open dialogue" with athletes to discuss what discipline could replace riding.

Among the athletes in the latest statement are Britain's Tokyo 2020 gold medallists Joe Choong and Kate French.

Choong said: "I’ve been riding for over 11 years now, and I have found it to be both the most frustrating, but also the most rewarding discipline in our sport. 

"Losing this discipline would be like ripping the heart out of modern pentathlon.

"Pentathlon without riding is not modern pentathlon.

"I believe there is a path forward where a changed format of riding can stay in our sport, and I would be devastated if we didn’t at least try to see where this path takes us."

French added: "I am personally heartbroken that our International Federation, the UIPM, has made the decision to remove horse riding from modern pentathlon.  

"We acknowledge that changes needed to be made to the riding to improve the standard and safety but eliminating or replacing any of the events from modern pentathlon is not the solution. 

"Each of the five events are as important as each other. 

"This is what makes the sport so special."

London 2012 champion David Svoboda of the Czech Republic said removing riding would be the "end of modern pentathlon", with the sport losing "its soul and uniqueness."

Several athletes spoke of the tradition of the sport, something that must be preserved with respect to Baron de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games, who described modern pentathlon as a test of "a man’s moral qualities as much as his physical resources and skills, producing thereby the ideal, complete athlete".

Britain's London 2012 silver medallist Samantha Murray said the decision - which was motivated by pressure from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) following a disastrous Tokyo 2020 riding event, after which Germany coach Kim Raisner was sent home and reprimanded for punching horse Saint-Boy, which refused to jump for Germany's then women's leader Annika Schleu - stems from "the lack of governance and bad attitude led by the UIPM", which has resulted in "the destruction of the sport from within."

Murray added: "The rules of the equestrian event do not align with those of equine events in the Olympic Games. 

"Surely, if the regulations of the riding discipline aligned with that of the wider equestrian world, then we would not be in this position today?"

The UIPM is set to host consultation with athletes today to discuss the future of the sport, at which "all opinions and ideas are welcome and will be fully taken on board for the fifth discipline discussion according to the announced criteria," the UIPM claimed.

No consultation was offered over the dropping of riding.

The under-fire worldwide governing body warned the IOC would "only accept a proposal without riding" for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic programme.

The IOC expects to have a decision on riding's exclusion confirmed by November 18.

The Olympic programme for Los Angeles 2028 is expected to be confirmed in early 2022.