Charlotte Dujardin, the celebrated British equestrian, has made headlines for a distressing reason.
The 39-year-old athlete, who was expected to shine at the upcoming Olympics, has withdrawn from the Games amid a scandalous video that has surfaced.
The footage shows Dujardin whipping a horse on its legs 24 times during training, a sight that has caused a significant uproar.
Dujardin’s Olympic hopes have been dashed, and with them, her chance at a damehood.
She was anticipated to secure this honor if she won one more medal, potentially becoming Britain’s most successful female Olympian.
However, the revelation of the video has led to the UK Sport stripping her of funding and dropping her as an ambassador for a horse welfare charity.
Suspension and Potential Consequences
Before the video was made public, Dujardin had already withdrawn from the Olympics and received a six-month suspension.
Now, her career is in jeopardy, and she may even face losing her CBE, an honor bestowed upon her by Queen Elizabeth II in 2017. The honors committee will decide whether to review her award based on the outcome of an investigation by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI).
The Disturbing Footage
The controversial video was taken at a private stable in Gloucester and shows Dujardin using a long whip to train a horse in performing a ‘piaffe,’ a slow trot.
This footage has sparked outrage, prompting UK Sport to suspend her eligibility for public funding and benefits until the FEI concludes its investigation.
Calls for Change from Animal Welfare Groups
Animal welfare organizations are calling for significant changes in light of this incident.
PETA’s Kathy Guillermo has urged the International Olympic Committee to remove equestrian events from the Games, arguing that the abuse captured in the video highlights a broader issue of animal cruelty in the sport.
She emphasizes that horses, lacking the ability to voluntarily participate, often suffer due to such practices.
The situation surrounding Dujardin is evolving rapidly, and it remains to be seen how it will impact both her career and the future of equestrian events in the Olympics.
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