Charlotte Dujardin, one of many stars of Workforce GB forward of the Olympics, has been banned from the Paris Video games over allegations she whipped a horse “24 instances” prefer it was “an elephant in a circus”.
Dujardin, a three-time Olympic champion, earlier withdrew from all competitions resulting from a video that reveals the dressage rider “making an error of judgement throughout a training session” to a younger rider 4 years in the past.
Stephan Wensing, a lawyer representing the 19-year-old who filed the grievance towards Dujardin, mentioned the incident befell when the 39-year-old was telling the scholar to raise up the legs of the horse.
He advised The Telegraph: “She took the lengthy whip and he or she was beating the horse greater than 24 instances in a single minute.” He added: “It was like an elephant within the circus.”
The Worldwide Federation for Equestrian Sports activities (FEI) confirmed that it had been despatched footage of Dujardin “partaking in conduct opposite to the ideas of horse welfare” and has determined to provisionally droop the rider for six months with rapid impact.
The FEI mentioned in a press release that Dujardin totally cooperated with their investigaton, admitting she is the person within the video and acknowledging her conduct was inappropriate earlier than withdrawing from the Olympics.
Dujardin was bidding to grow to be Britain’s most adorned feminine Olympian at this summer season’s Video games in Paris. In a press release, she mentioned she is “deeply ashamed” and the incident “was utterly out of character and doesn’t replicate how I practice my horses or coach my pupils”.
The 39-year-old withdrew from all competitors whereas the Worldwide FEI investigated the footage, and the organisation has now determined to droop Dujardin for six months whereas it continues its investigation.
The content material of the video in query, which has resurfaced simply days earlier than the Olympics start, allegedly reveals Dujardin mistreating a horse at a non-public secure. The video was despatched to the FEI on Monday by a Dutch lawyer representing an undisclosed complainant.
A report on the Dutch web site Horses.nl mentioned the lawyer was Stephan Wensing and acknowledged that the video confirmed Dujardin hitting a scholar’s horse with a whip.
“It’s unacceptable that dressage sport needs to be accompanied by animal abuse,” Wensing advised Horses.nl . “If top-level sport can solely be carried out in such a method that the welfare of the horse is compromised, then top-level sport needs to be abolished.”
Dujardin, British Equestrian and British Dressage have been knowledgeable of the allegations and the FEI’s investigation and got a deadline of 4pm UK time on Tuesday afternoon to reply.
Dujardin launched her assertion asserting her resolution to withdraw from the Olympics simply minutes earlier than the deadline.
“We’re deeply dissatisfied with this case, particularly as we strategy the Olympic Video games in Paris 2024, mentioned the FEI’s president Ingmar De Vos. “Nevertheless, it’s our accountability and essential that we tackle any cases of abuse, as equine welfare can’t be compromised.
“Charlotte has expressed real regret for her actions, and we recognise and admire her willingness to take accountability. Regardless of the unlucky timing, we consider this motion reaffirms the FEI’s dedication to welfare because the guardians of our equine companions and the integrity of our sport.”
An announcement from Dujardin earlier on Tuesday mentioned: “A video has emerged from 4 years in the past which reveals me making an error of judgement throughout a training session.
“Understandably, the Worldwide Federation for Equestrian Sports activities (FEl) is investigating and I’ve made the choice to withdraw from all competitors, together with the Paris Olympics, whereas this course of takes place.
“What occurred was utterly out of character and doesn’t replicate how I practice my horses or coach my pupils, nonetheless, there isn’t any excuse. I’m deeply ashamed and may have set a greater instance in that second.
“I’m sincerely sorry for my actions and devastated that I’ve let everybody down, together with Workforce GB, followers and sponsors.
“I’ll cooperate totally with the FEl, British Equestrian Federation and British Dressage throughout their investigations, and won’t be commenting additional till the method is full.”
The Olympics opening ceremony is on Friday whereas the dressage competitors at Paris 2024 is scheduled to start on 30 July, on the Chateau de Versailles.
A medal of any color would have taken Dujardin forward of bicycle owner Laura Kenny as Britain’s most adorned feminine Olympian, with the pair presently tied on six medals.
Dujardin received staff and particular person gold medals at London 2012 and received particular person gold and staff silver 4 years later in Rio, competing in each video games on horse Valegro.
Dujardin had a special horse, Gio, on the delayed Tokyo Video games three years in the past and he or she was set to journey Imhotep this summer season in Paris.
Gio, a diminutive horse who was purchased as a five-year by Dujardin following Rio, was then bought simply months after the Tokyo Video games.
One of many greatest controversies of the delayed Tokyo Video games in 2021 was a German trendy pentathlon coach being thrown out of the Olympics for punching a horse.
The incident triggered a serious overhaul of a historic sport and resulted within the equestrian component being eliminated utterly forward of the Paris Video games.
Talking forward of the Olympics, Dujardin believed she had a “actually good probability” of success in Paris, the place she was scheduled to compete within the particular person dressage and staff occasion, alongside Carl Hester and Lottie Fry.
Of her probabilities of making British Olympic historical past, Dujardin mentioned: “Will probably be one of the unbelievable moments if that does occur, however I don’t put any strain on myself to make that occur.”
