British equestrian Charlotte Dujardin, a three-time Olympic champion in dressage, has been handed a provisional six-month suspension by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), effective immediately. This decision follows her withdrawal from the upcoming Paris Olympics due to resurfaced footage from four years ago that allegedly shows her mistreating a horse.
In a statement, Dujardin acknowledged the video’s emergence and described her actions during a training session as a significant misjudgment. She understands the FEI’s decision to investigate further and has chosen to step back from all competitions, including the Olympics, while the inquiry is underway.
Dujardin emphasized that the incident was “completely out of character” for her and does not reflect her training practices with horses or students. However, she admitted that there is no excuse for what happened, expressing deep shame for failing to set a better example. She sincerely regrets her actions and is devastated for letting down not only her team in Great Britain but also fans and sponsors. She assured that she would fully cooperate with both the FEI and British Equestrian as they proceed with their investigations.
At 39 years old, Dujardin shares the distinction of being one of Britain’s most decorated Olympians, alongside cyclist Laura Kenny. She triumphed in individual and team dressage events at the London 2012 Games, retained individual gold at the Rio 2016 Games, and also won a team silver there. In Tokyo 2020, she added two bronze medals to her collection.
The FEI reported that they have received footage showing Dujardin engaging in behavior contrary to the principles of equine welfare. This suspension prohibits her from participating in any FEI-sanctioned competitions or events run by national federations.
The video in question was reportedly submitted by a lawyer representing an undisclosed whistleblower. As per the FEI’s statement, the footage was allegedly recorded during a training session in a private stable years ago. Upon its receipt, the FEI promptly launched an investigation. Dujardin, along with British Equestrian and British Dressage, was subsequently informed about the claims.
Dujardin later confirmed her presence in the video and acknowledged her inappropriate conduct. On July 23, she requested a provisional suspension pending the investigation results and voluntarily withdrew from the Paris 2024 Olympics. According to the Dutch website horses.nl, the video depicts her hitting a student’s horse multiple times with a whip from the ground.
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