Dujardin, three-time Olympic equestrian champion, suspended for a year following a whipping scandal
LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Charlotte Dujardin, triple Olympic gold medalist in equestrian, was suspended from all competition for a year on Thursday following a whipping scandal which saw her withdraw from the Paris Games in July.
Dujardin was provisionally suspended by the International Equestrian Federation on July 23, as the governing body opened an investigation into a video from four years ago showing her repeatedly whipping a horse while training a another rider.
A complaint was filed with the FEI by Dutch lawyer Stephan Wensing on behalf of an anonymous client.
Dujardin will not be able to compete again until July next year, with the suspension backdated to July 23 this year. The FEI sanction for “behavior contrary to the principles of horse welfare” also included a fine of 10,000 Swiss francs ($11,300).
Dujardin accepted the sanctions and will not appeal.
In its judgment, the FEI said it considered the video “to constitute the only case of horse abuse committed by” Dujardin and therefore considered it an “isolated incident”.
Dujardin, 39, won gold at the 2012 London Olympics in team and individual dressage and won another individual gold at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. She won team bronze and in the individual event at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and a silver medal in the team event in Rio.
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