Three-time gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin has been banned from equestrian for one 12 months after a disturbing video exhibiting her whipping a horse emerged on-line.
Dujardin was accused of hitting her horse 20 instances with a whip because it walked round a mud coaching space. The disgraced champion withdrew from the 2024 Olympics in Paris over blowback from the chilling clip.
Dujardin, broadly thought to be Britain’s best horsewoman, is suspended from competing in all equestrian occasions overseen by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) — the governing physique of horse sports activities — till July 23, 2025.
“Such use clearly amounts to an excessive use of the whip which caused, or was likely to have caused discomfort and possibly pain to the horse,” the group mentioned in an announcement. It’s the view of the FEI that Ms Dujardin’s misconduct warrants the imposition of sanctions.”
“Ms Dujardin admits that she committed Abuse of Horse, a breach of the FEI Code of Conduct for the Welfare the Horse, and engaged in conduct that brings the FEI and/or equestrian sport into disrepute,” the assertion concluded.
Dujardin was additionally slapped with an $11,300 high quality and isn’t allowed to attraction the choice.
Each British Equestrian and British Dressage have applied the identical suspension.
After the harrowing video emerged on-line, Dujardin mentioned she was “deeply ashamed” by her “error of judgment” displayed within the clip.
“A video has emerged from four years ago which shows me making an error of judgment during a coaching session,” Dujardin mentioned in an announcement when she withdrew from the Olympics in July.
“What happened was completely out of character and does not reflect how I train horses or coach my pupils, however there is no excuse. I am deeply ashamed and should have set a better example in that moment.”
Dujardin, who has six Olympic medals underneath her belt, was rumored to be a Damehood in King Charles’ upcoming New Yr’s Honors Listing previous to the ordeal.
Along with not being thought of for the coveted honor, she has been faraway from her function as ambassador by Brooke — a UK-based horse welfare charity.
In an extra blow, the athlete’s 2017 CBE for companies to equestrianism, given to her by the royal household, is now underneath evaluate by the Honors committee.
Dujardin, 39, received gold medals in workforce and particular person dressage in 2012 in London and took residence gold in particular person dressage in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.
She additionally received a silver medal in workforce dressage in Rio, and bronze medals in workforce and particular person dressage in Tokyo in 2021.
