{"id":17621,"date":"2026-02-11T06:13:37","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T06:13:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lasermet.com\/us\/?post_type=project&p=17621"},"modified":"2026-02-11T06:13:39","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T06:13:39","slug":"lasermets-power-meter-ensures-fair-play-at-london-2012-olympics","status":"publish","type":"project","link":"https:\/\/www.lasermet.com\/us\/project\/lasermets-power-meter-ensures-fair-play-at-london-2012-olympics\/","title":{"rendered":"Lasermet’s Power Meter Ensures Fair Play at London 2012 Olympics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At the London 2012 Olympic Games, fairness, safety, and precision were essential\u2014especially in sports involving new technology. The Modern Pentathlon, traditionally involving shooting with pellet pistols, transitioned to using laser pistols in 2010. To ensure these laser-based events were safe and equitable for all athletes, Lasermet\u2019s Laser Power Meter <\/strong>was deployed to test the output of each pistol before the competition began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steve Candy, the Combined Event Manager for LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games), described how Lasermet played a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of the sport.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
The image of the Modern Pentathlon used in this article was sourced from mybucketlistevents.com<\/em>. All rights to the image belong to their respective owners. This image is used for educational and informational purposes only.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

A New Era in Modern Pentathlon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Modern Pentathlon is a demanding five-discipline sport that includes running, horse-riding, swimming, fencing, and shooting. As of 2010, the sport adopted laser pistols for the shooting element, replacing traditional pellet-firing pistols. This change was made to make the sport more accessible, especially in countries with strict firearm regulations or where younger participants were previously unable to compete due to safety laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the advantages, the introduction of laser pistols brought concerns over fairness and the consistency of laser output, particularly since athletes and manufacturers used different models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\"\"
Measuring and Testing Equipment<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Ensuring Fair Competition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By 2011, laser pistols were being used in major competitions like the World Cup and World Championships. However, the technology had not yet been uniformly regulated or extensively tested in competitive environments. There were concerns about the potential for abuse\u2014such as tweaking laser settings to increase range or power\u2014and about the overall safety of the equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steve Candy and the team wanted to eliminate any variables that might affect competition fairness at the London 2012 Olympics. This included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n