Dujardin handed one-year ban for ‘excessively’ whipping horse

Three-time Olympic dressage gold medallist Charlotte Dujardin has been banned for one year and fined 10,000 Swiss Francs (£8,886) for “excessively” whipping a horse.

Video footage emerged in July of the 39-year-old repeatedly striking the horse with a long whip around its legs, just days before the start of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Dujardin’s international ban, handed out by the FEI – the world governing body of equestrian sports – is backdated to the start of her provisional suspension and she will be eligible to compete again from July 2025.

British Equestrian and British Dressage have also reciprocated the suspension, preventing Dujardin from competing in national competition or training events during the same period.

Dujardin’s six Olympic medals, comprising three gold, a silver and two bronze are the joint most of any British female Olympian, alongside former track cyclist Dame Laura Kenny’s five golds and a silver.

Dujardin, who has accepted the sanction, was provisionally suspended on 23 July for “engaging in conduct contrary to the principles of horse welfare”, one day after the FEI received a video showing her excessively whipping a horse during a training session at a private stable.

The FEI said the footage of the training session did not constitute any other rule violations and added that there have not been any further complaints raised against Dujardin’s conduct since the video emerged.

“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,” FEI secretary general Sabrina Ibanez said.

“We believe this outcome reaffirms the FEI’s commitment to equine welfare and to its role as guardian of our equine partners.”

Ibanez added it was “regrettable” the case had put the sport in the news for “all the wrong reasons” leading up to the Paris Games but said the FEI had acted decisively by starting an investigation and imposing a provisional suspension on the video emerging.

Dujardin withdrew from the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she was due to represent Team GB, after admitting she was the person in the video.

The FEI initiated formal disciplinary proceedings based on three charges; abuse of a horse, conduct that brings the FEI and/or equestrian sport and the FEI into disrepute and breach of the FEI code of conduct on the welfare of a horse.

Chief executive of British Equestrian, Jim Eyre, said the welfare and ethical treatment of horses “has always been a priority”.

“We will continue to work with our member bodies tirelessly to uphold the integrity of our sports through enforcement, education, and advancement in our knowledge,” he added.

And British Dressage said it is “united with the FEI in taking a zero-tolerance approach” regarding mistreatment of horses.

“We launched the charter for the horse last year and remain totally committed to upholding these standards,” chief executive Jason Brautigam said.

“Working closely with our colleagues across the federation, we will continue to collectively put the health, care and wellbeing of the horse at the heart of everything we do, and proactively demonstrate that equestrian sport is conducted in an ethical and responsible way.”

The FEI were made aware of the incident after receiving a video from Dutch lawyer Stephan Wensing, who was representing an anonymous complainant.

“My client is very happy that the FEI has taken this so seriously and this is a good message for the whole dressage world,” Wensing said.

“She is also happy that Charlotte Dujardin has taken this seriously, and has taken responsibility and accepted her punishment.”

The FEI tribunal stated that the video showed Dujardin whipping the horse more than 20 times.

Dujardin shot to prominence at the London 2012 Games on Valegro, winning gold medals in the team and individual disciplines, to a soundtrack that included Land of Hope and Glory.

The pair picked up individual gold and team silver four years later in Rio.

On a different horse, Gio, she won two bronze medals at the Covid-19-delayed Tokyo 2020 Games.

Dujardin was due to compete in both the individual dressage and team event at Paris 2024, alongside Carl Hester and world champion Lottie Fry, on new horse Imhotep.

She required a medal of any colour to take the outright lead as the most-decorated British female Olympian from now-retired cyclist Kenny.

Dressage is the oldest equestrian discipline, and sees rider and horse perform a series of movements to music across the gaits of walk, trot and canter.