Footage has emerged of Olympian Charlotte Dujardin whipping a horse during a training session.
Dujardin, Britain’s joint-most decorated female Olympian, pulled out of the Paris Games over the video, which was recorded while she was giving a lesson at a private barn.
Referring to the video taken by a whistleblower, the Team GB athlete, 39, said what happened was “completely out of character” and “does not reflect how I train my horses or coach my pupils”.
But she said “there is no excuse” and she was “deeply ashamed” and “sincerely sorry”.
Dujardin said the incident happened four years ago.
However, the whistleblower’s lawyer, Stephan Wensing, told Sky News it was recorded two-and-a-half years ago while his client watched a lesson as a sponsor.
Mr Wensing’s client said they had seen similar abuse several times while working with Dujardin, and felt compelled to film because of how badly the horse was being treated.
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Image: Charlotte Dujardin has won multiple Olympic medals. Pic: PA
Image: Pic: Reuters
The client said they hadn’t reported it before because they felt intimidated by her prestige and been warned by people in the dressage community to stay quiet – but felt they had to act with the Olympics coming up.
Dujardin, who has won six Olympic medals, including two golds at London 2012 and a third at Rio 2016, had been set to compete in both the individual and team events in France.
The International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) said she had been provisionally suspended for six months following an official complaint.
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