Format

Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc. (TBS), the creator of the global hit format SASUKE, internationally known as Ninja Warrior, has signed an agreement with the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) to collaborate on the new Obstacle Racing discipline that will be part of Modern Pentathlon at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

The agreement marks a significant crossover between television entertainment and Olympic sport. TBS and UIPM will work together to promote both SASUKE/Ninja Warrior and the new Modern Pentathlon discipline in the run-up to LA28.

First launched on TBS in 1997, SASUKE/Ninja Warrior has become one of Japan’s most successful international TV formats. The show has aired in more than 160 countries and regions, with local versions produced in over 25 territories. The U.S. version is set to premiere its 18th season on June 8, 2026.

The collaboration follows several years of work between TBS and UIPM. Since 2022, the two organizations have cooperated on test events inspired by SASUKE and other obstacle sports elements, contributing to the development of UIPM Obstacle Racing. After the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, UIPM replaced equestrian show jumping with Obstacle Racing across all levels of Modern Pentathlon. The International Olympic Committee had already voted unanimously in 2023 to include the updated Modern Pentathlon, featuring Obstacle Racing, at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Under the agreement, UIPM has licensed the right to use selected SASUKE/Ninja Warrior intellectual property and programme elements from TBS, including the design of certain obstacles, for Obstacle Racing. The partnership also establishes a framework for both parties to collaborate and cross-promote the format and the sport globally.

UIPM President Rob Stull described the agreement as “a wonderful and unique coming together of primetime entertainment and Olympic sports culture,” highlighting the shared values of heritage and innovation between the two organizations.
Katsuaki Setoguchi, Executive Officer at TBS Holdings, called the partnership “a groundbreaking milestone,” noting that SASUKE/Ninja Warrior has continued to evolve over the past 30 years and is now converging with the history of Modern Pentathlon, a sport that has been part of the Olympic Games for more than a century.