“What happened is completely out of character for me and worthy of being compared to how I train horses and mentor my students,” Dujardin wrote, “but there are no excuses. I am deeply ashamed and should have set a better example at the time.”
The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) said in a statement that it received a video on Monday of Dujardin allegedly abusing a horse. The federation gave Dujardin a deadline of 5 p.m. on Tuesday to respond to the footage. Dujardin confirmed it was him and released the statement before the ordeal surfaced publicly. Dujardin has been banned from competing until the FEI completes its investigation, denying him a chance to compete in a fourth Olympic Games.
“We are extremely disappointed by this incident, especially with the Paris Olympic Games looming in 2024,” FEI president Ingmar de Vos said, “But it is our responsibility and vitally important that we address all cases of abuse, as horse welfare cannot be compromised.”
What happened remained unclear for several hours Tuesday evening. Mr. Dujardin gave no details about the contents of the video. Shortly after Mr. Dujardin posted his statement, a British spokesman said the country’s Olympic governing body was not aware of the contents of the video.
Dujardin, 39, rose to fame in Britain when she won two gold medals at the 2012 London Olympics aboard her horse Valegro, and her hometown of Enfield has a gold letterbox commemorating her. After retiring Valegro at 14, she won two bronze medals in Tokyo aboard another horse, Geo.
Allegations of animal abuse have also tarnished other Olympic equestrian sports. During the Tokyo Olympics, German modern pentathlon coach Kim Reissner was filmed punching a horse. Dujardin is not the first athlete to lose her Olympic dressage qualification this month. Karina Cassoe Kroos was dropped from the Danish dressage team earlier this month after old footage surfaced showing her allegedly abusing a horse, according to industry publication Horse Sport.
