By Fact Check Bureau: A video of Pakistani and American troops participating in a sporting event is making the rounds on social media. The video features men running, climbing, jumping, and overcoming challenging physical obstacles in what looks like a race between the two armies. Those sharing the video claimed that it shows the Pakistani army beating the American army in this challenge. An archived version of this post can be seen here.
India Today, in its investigation, found that this video is from the 60th World Military Pentathlon Championship — an international military competition in which Pakistan did not even participate.
Our Probe
A reverse search of keyframes from the viral video led us to the same clip shared by a YouTube channel back in 2016. Here, the video description stated that it is the “Obstacle race” from the 60th World Military Pentathlon Championship held in Brazil.
Further searches led us to the same video in a better resolution shared by another YouTube channel. Noticeably, around forty seconds into this video, “60th World Military Pentathlon Championship” can be seen written on one of the obstacles present on the racing track.
Per the invitation to this event, we found online, the Brazillian Ministry of Defense along with the CISM hosted this championship from November 9 to 18 in 2013 at Rio de Janeiro. Only military personnel on active duty in the Armed Forces of CISM member nations were allowed to compete in the event. It also mentioned that the obstacle run, in particular, was supposed to be held at the 26th Airborne Infantry Battalion (26th BIPqdt).
The International Military Sports Council or Conseil International du Sport Militaire (CISM) is an international sports association that holds several events to promote sports in the armed forces. Every year, the CISM holds the World Military Championship which includes 25 sports on the world level, and several other sports on the continental and regional levels. The Military Pentathlon includes shooting, obstacle running, obstacle swimming, throwing, cross-country, and obstacle relay.
While Pakistan and the United States of America were listed as the member nations invited to the event, their names did not make it to the list of final entries for the competition. Also, the results of the 60th WMC Military Pentathlon did not mention either of the two countries.
Thus, it is clear that the video in question does not show Pakistani troops defeating US troops in a sporting event.
Source : India Today
