Charlotte Dujardin, the most decorated British female athlete in Olympic history, is at the centre of the storm. “A video from four years ago has emerged showing me making an error of judgement during a coaching session,” she said in a statement. The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) has launched an investigation to try to clarify the situation.
“I have taken the decision to withdraw from all competitions – including the Paris Olympics – while this process is ongoing,” the rider said in her statement. The sanction has since been handed down: the FEI has provisionally suspended the athlete for six months, due to “conduct contrary to the principles of horse welfare.”
As a reminder, Dujardin won the individual gold medal at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and the team gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
