Charlotte Dujardin, a 39-year-old former Olympic equestrian gold medalist, announced her decision to withdraw from the Paris Olympics on Tuesday via Instagram.
Dujardin explained that a four-year-old video surfaced mistreating her horse “during a coaching session” and that she is “deeply ashamed” over how she acted in the video. “I am sincerely sorry for my actions and devastated that I have let everyone down,” she wrote. (RELATED: Olympic Gymnast Shoko Miyata Withdraws From Competition After Drinking Some Booze, Smoking A Little)
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Dujardin said in her social media post that the incident does not reflect her true character and she trains her horses and teaches others to train their horses in a proper way.
The International Federation for Equestrian Sports (IFES) wrote in a press release that they received the alleged footage Monday “by a lawyer representing an undisclosed complainant” of Dujardin “engaging in conduct contrary to the principles of horse welfare.” Dujardin communicated to IFES that she was in the video and “that her conduct was inappropriate.” The former gold medalist requested the organization provisionally suspend her “pending the outcome of the investigations,” the organization added.
“We are deeply disappointed with this case, especially as we approach the Olympic Games in Paris 2024. However, it is our responsibility and crucial that we address any instances of abuse, as equine welfare cannot be compromised,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said, the press release read. The president claimed that Dujardin “expressed genuine remorse for her action” and was willing to take responsibility for her actions.
Dujardin is the United Kingdom’s joint most-decorated female Olympian and won six medals in dressage, CBS News reported citing the BBC.
Olympic equestrian gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin has withdrawn from the Paris games after a years-old video emerged allegedly showing her mistreating a horse. https://t.co/rKp6btmVgc
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 23, 2024
The accomplished equestrian won Olympic gold medals in 2012, 2016 and 2021, according to Dressage News.
