by Good Morning Britain aired footage of Charlotte Dujardin, Britain’s most decorated female Olympian, repeatedly turning a horse.
The six-time Olympic medalist pulled out of the Paris Games on Tuesday, just three days before Friday’s opening ceremony, after a video emerged showing her “making an error of judgement”, she admitted.
The 39-year-old revealed she was under investigation by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) after footage was obtained of her allegedly injuring a horse and said she would “withdraw from all competition while this process is going on”.
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The footage, shared by GMB and sent to the FEI, shows Dujardin during a training session at his private sand school in Gloucestershire. The dressage champion is seen standing on the ground with a trainee rider mounted on the horse.
In the video, Dujardin appears to use an equestrian whip to beat the horse’s legs for up to 24 hours, the Mirror reports.
According to the Dutch lawyer Stephan Wensing, who reported the offense on behalf of his client, the video is supposed to be from 2022 when his client sponsored a young cyclist, a 19-year-old girl, to attend the lesson with Dujardin. Wensing also said the horse was beaten “like an elephant in a circus” when Dujardin hit the horse two dozen times with a whip in “one minute and very hard, very hard, very hard”.
The alleged whistleblower filmed the lesson but was warned not to make an official complaint because of Dujardin’s reputation at the time.
Last night, from her home in Newent, Gloucestershire, Charlotte’s partner Dean Golding said: “I can’t say anything beyond Charlotte’s statement. We just have to wait and see what happens.”
Asked about the origins of the video release and its distribution, Mr Golding admitted: “No, we have no idea. Charlotte has obviously been co-operating with the equestrian authorities for some time now.”
He also mentioned his uncertainty about her return to Paris and, when asked if they expected this situation, revealed: “No, it’s out of the question.”
British Equestrian (BEF) and British Dressage (BD) announced: “British Equestrian (BEF) and British Dressage (BD) can confirm, following an official complaint made to the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI ) on 22 July 2024, Team GB dressage athlete Charlotte Dujardin has withdrawn herself from the Paris 2024 Olympics.”
They continued, detailing the nature of the complaint: “The complaint made allegations of animal welfare misconduct which will now be fully investigated by the FEI. Miss Dujardin has accepted a temporary suspension from the FEI pending the investigation.”
In addition, both BEF and BD have decided to temporarily suspend Miss Dujardin from all national and international competitions until the FEI completes its investigation.
The Chief Executive of British Equestrian, Jim Eyre, has made a statement regarding the serious allegations that have come to light, emphasizing the importance of integrity in the sport: “The allegations made are serious and the consequences are far-reaching but our priority is always to protect the integrity of our sport. we are privileged to enjoy the company of horses;
Jason Brautigam, Chief Executive of British Dressage, also commented on the matter, asserting a strong stance against any breaches of equine welfare: “We do not condone any behavior that goes against our guiding principles and we take a zero tolerance approach to any breach on our part. equine welfare policies.”
He also addressed the impact of the allegations and the commitment to support the ongoing investigation: “These historic allegations are very upsetting for everyone involved in our sport, but we fully support the FEI’s investigation and will take any appropriate disciplinary action once this process is complete. . Our priority now is our athletes and horses representing Team GB in Paris as they take on the responsibility of showcasing the best of our sport on the world stage.”
Helen Nicholls, British Equestrian Performance Director and Team GB Equestrian Team Leader, spoke of the disappointment caused by the recent events and Charlotte Dujardin’s recognition of the importance of welfare in equestrian sports: “The events of the Last 24 hours on many. No one recognizes the role of interest in sport more than Charlotte Dujardin so she has done the right thing by stepping down to allow the FEI bench to happen in time.
“We remain focused on supporting our athletes to reach their potential on the world stage and look forward to the start of the Games on Saturday.”
A spokesperson for the British Olympic Association confirmed: “The British Olympic Association can confirm Charlotte Dujardin’s withdrawal from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and we acknowledge the seriousness with which she is taking this matter. As a result of her withdrawal, we will apply to introduce a reserve athlete under the IOC’s Late Replacement of Athletes rules.”
“The BOA takes animal welfare very seriously, and we believe that everyone has a responsibility to ensure the well-being of horses.”
