Animal cruelty shock: Olympic champion Dujardin closed for one year!

Animal cruelty shock: Olympic champion Dujardin closed for one year!

A scandal shakes equestrian sports: the three -time Olympic champion Charlotte Dujardin was closed for a year after a shocking video was brought to light. In this clip, which was published a few months ago, you can see how Dujardin strikes a horse with a long whip more than 24 times in a minute. This behavior has now been classified as cruelty to animals, which has dramatic consequences for the British rider.

The International Equestrian Fei FEI has filled the 39-year-old with a fine of CHF 10,000 and banned the participation in internal and international competitions by July 2025. Dujardin already admitted that her behavior on the video was inappropriate. The case was launched by a lawyer from the Netherlands on behalf of an unknown client and caused a sensation in the equestrian community, such as Kleine Zeitung reported.

preliminary lock and Olympic Games

The lock has been retrospectively applies since July 23, 2024, which means that Dujardin cannot take part in the Olympic Games in Paris. The rider, who won gold in London in 2012 and 2016, must now wait until the end of July 2025 to continue her career. During this time, she is prohibited from participating in competitions, training sessions and events to ensure the security and well-being of the animals, such as nau reported.