Charlotte Dujardin has received a one-year suspension and a fine of £8,880 (10,000 Swiss francs) by the FEI (International Federation of Equestrian Sports), six months after a video circulated on the eve of the competition showing Team GB Olympian whipping her horse’s legs. Paris Olympic Games.
The three-time gold medalist was provisionally suspended in July, shortly after the widely criticized video went viral, and was unable to compete in this summer’s Games.
According to the FEI, the disciplinary findings against him have been “effectively concluded”, and Dujardin will no longer be able to compete for the duration of his suspension.
In an explosive statement released just days before the start of the competition in Paris, Dujardin shared that he had made “an error in judgement” during a training session, which is said to have put the animal’s well-being at risk.
In the video, filmed four years ago, the 39-year-old is seen hitting the horse’s legs several times during an exercise involving a ‘piaffe’, a slow-motion trot. At that moment there was another rider on board the horse.
The investigation ended Dujardin’s dreams of becoming the UK’s most decorated Olympian, after currently tying with British cyclist Laura Kenny, who also has six medals.
WARNING: DISTRESSING IMAGES
Charlotte Dujardin received her punishment from the FEI for whipping her horse in training
The distressing video circulated in July, on the eve of the Paris Olympics, and forced her to withdraw from the GB team.
Dujardin was described whipping the horse “like an elephant in the circus” in the video clip.
“Dujardin has been provisionally suspended since July 23, 2024 for conduct contrary to the principles of horse welfare,” reads a statement from the FEI. «The time served during your provisional suspension will be counted towards the one-year suspension.
“During his suspension, Dujardin is prohibited from participating in all activities related to competitions or events under the jurisdiction of the FEI or a National Federation.”
The statement added: “Given the seriousness of the violation and the relevant mitigating circumstances, including Dujardin’s previous clean disciplinary record and his voluntary withdrawal from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the FEI proposed a one-year suspension and a fine of 10,000 Swiss francs”.
The governing body’s secretary general, Sabrina Ibáñez, added that the suspension “sends a clear message” about the seriousness of Dujardin’s actions.
“It is unfortunate that this case has put our sport in the headlines for the wrong reasons, especially during a critical time leading up to the Olympic Games,” he said Thursday.
‘However, despite the challenges, the FEI acted decisively by immediately opening an investigation and imposing a provisional suspension.
‘These significant sanctions send a clear message that anyone, regardless of their profile, who engages in conduct that compromises the welfare of the horse will face serious consequences. We believe this result reaffirms the FEI’s commitment to equine welfare and its role as guardian of our equine partners.’
In the wake of the controversy, Dujardin was removed from her ambassadorship at an equine welfare charity.
Dujardin was described repeatedly whipping the horse “like an elephant in a circus” 24 times during the distressing video, which was leaked by a person whose identity remains unknown.
The 39-year-old’s dramatic fall from grace saw her dropped as an ambassador for a horse welfare charity, stripped of funding from UK Sport and withdrawn from consideration for a potential dame, Whitehall sources revealed. to Mail Sport.
During the media storm, it was discovered that Dujardin had previously been disqualified from competition in 2019 after blood was found on her horse, Mount St John Freestyle, at the 2019 European Championships.
Months after the elimination in January 2020, Dujardin said the decision was “destructive to the soul” but stated that he did not blame the flight attendant who “had to do her job.”
‘(…) For everyone present it was a very sad and truly heartbreaking moment, and obviously that stewardess felt very excited about what she had to do. I always thought she had to do her job, at the end of the day, that’s what they’re there for,” he said.
“There was a little blood on her side, so she had to take me out. I understood the rules, rules are rules, so she had to do it.”
The equestrian (pictured at the Rio 2016 Olympics) was hoping to become Britain’s most decorated Olympian this summer.
Instead, it was Charlotte Fry who won plaudits in Paris for Team GB, with bronze medals in individual and team dressage events.
And he added: “There was nothing there afterwards. It was a shame, there was a slight mark and with the white handkerchief, there was a little spot of blood, and that’s it.
“It’s amazing when you read things online and see how they can make the pictures look like you’ve caused real damage.” There was absolutely nothing, after they washed and dried it you wouldn’t have even known there was anything there.
‘I rode it the next day and it was fine. She is trimmed now and I can ride her, it was just a freak accident that happened. I can only raise my hand: I was there, the stewardess did her job and I had to accept the consequences, and so I did.’
Despite Dujardin’s late withdrawal, Team GB riders shined in the French capital, with Charlotte Fry helping to team bronze and a women’s individual bronze on her horse Glamourdale.