CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN has been axed as a charity ambassador following her horse whipping controversy.
The Team GB star pulled out of the upcoming Paris Olympics this week prior to the release of the disturbing clip.
Now the six-time Olympic medal winner has been dropped as an ambassador for horse welfare charity Brooke.
A statement from the charity on social mead read: “We were deeply disturbed to learn of the recent video of Charlotte Dujardin.
“Our whole ethos is around kindness and compassion to horses and to see the opposite of this from someone with such a high profile is beyond disappointing.
“Charlotte is no longer an ambassador for Brooke.
“There can never be any justification for the mistreatment of animals and clearly any such behaviour is incompatible with representing Brooke.”
The footage showed Dujardin hitting the horse with a long whip during a lesson with a 19-year-old female student at her private stable – with the whistleblower being a sponsor of the girl who was riding the horse in the video.
Dujardin said she was “deeply ashamed” by her “error of judgement” in a coaching session “from four years ago”.
The FEI, the sport’s governing body, launched a probe into the incident and handed Dujardin a provisional six-month ban.
That was after a Dutch lawyer claimed that the anonymous whistleblower “couldn’t stand to watch her win a medal at Paris 2024”.
Dujardin released a statement after her withdrawal from the Paris games.
It read: “A video has emerged from four years ago which shows me making an error of judgement during a coaching session.
“Understandably, the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) is investigating.
“And I have made the decision to withdraw from all competition – including the Paris Olympics – while this process takes place.
“What happened was completely out of character and does not reflect how I train my horses or coach my pupils, however there is no excuse.
“I am deeply ashamed and should have set a better example in that moment.
“I am sincerely sorry for my actions and devastated that I have let everyone down, including Team GB, fans and sponsors.
“I will cooperate fully with the FEI, British Equestrian Federation and British Dressage during their investigations, and will not be commenting further until the process is complete.”
Stephan Wensing, the lawyer who brought the video to the attention of the sport’s regulators, previously compared the treatment to that of “an elephant in a circus” and claimed it happened in 2022.
He told Good Morning Britain: “My client used to be a sponsor, and she was in the UK, and she sponsored a lesson for Charlotte to a student.
“It was a young girl of 19 years old riding her horse, and she got a lesson from Charlotte Dujardin in the UK.
“Charlotte Dujardin was in the middle of the arena. She said to the student, ‘your horse must lift up the legs more in the canter’.
“She took the long whip and she was beating the horse more than 24 times in one minute and really hard, really harsh, really tough.
“This is not just one incident. My client has visited Charlotte Dujardin’s stable more times and she has seen it happen more times.”
THE FEI has officially announced the provisional suspension of British Dressage athlete Charlotte Dujardin (FEI ID: 10028440) for a period of six months, effective immediately from the date of notification, 23 July 2024.
This decision renders her ineligible to participate in the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games or any other events under the jurisdiction of the FEI.
During this period of suspension, she is prohibited from participating in any activities related to competitions or events under the jurisdiction of the FEI or any competition or event under the jurisdiction of a National Federation (NF). This also includes any FEI or NF-related activities.
In addition, the British Equestrian Federation has mirrored this provisional suspension, which also makes Ms. Dujardin ineligible to compete in any national events during this period.
On 22 July 2024, the FEI received a video depicting Ms. Dujardin engaging in conduct contrary to the principles of horse welfare. This video was submitted to the FEI by a lawyer representing an undisclosed complainant.
According to the information received, the footage was allegedly taken several years ago during a training session conducted by Ms. Dujardin at a private stable.
Upon receiving the video, the FEI promptly initiated an investigation. As part of this investigation, Ms. Dujardin, British Equestrian, and British Dressage were informed of the allegations. Ms Dujardin was given a deadline of 17:00 Swiss time on 23 July to respond to the allegations.
Subsequently, Ms. Dujardin confirmed that she is the individual depicted in the video and acknowledged that her conduct was inappropriate.
On 23 July 2024, Charlotte Dujardin requested to be provisionally suspended pending the outcome of the investigations and voluntarily withdrew from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and also confirmed that she will not participate in any competitions pending the outcome of the FEI’s investigation.
The FEI condemns any conduct contrary to the welfare of horses and has robust rules in place to address such behaviour. Our commitment to ensuring the highest standards of equine welfare and sportsmanship remains unwavering.
The FEI acknowledges the cooperation of Charlotte Dujardin, British Equestrian, and British Dressage with the ongoing investigation and intends to proceed as swiftly as possible.
“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.
“Charlotte has expressed genuine remorse for her actions, and we recognise and appreciate her willingness to take responsibility. Despite the unfortunate timing, we believe this action reaffirms the FEI’s commitment to welfare as the guardians of our equine partners and the integrity of our sport.”
To maintain the integrity of the investigation, the FEI will refrain from making further comments on this matter until the process is concluded.
