'I am deeply ashamed': British equestrian great pulls out of Olympics amid video scandal

Three-time Olympic gold medallist Charlotte Dujardin of Britain has withdrawn from the Paris Games after a video emerged that showed her “engaging in conduct contrary to the principles of horse welfare,” according to the sport's governing body.

Dujardin said in a statement that the video from four years ago “shows me making an error of judgment during a coaching session.” It wasn't clear what video Dujardin referred to or what specifically the video shows.

However, a report in The Guardian claims Dujardin, whipped a horse "24 times … like an elephant in a circus" according to the Dutch lawyer Stephan Wensing, who is representing the 19-year-old who filed the official complaint against the Olympian.

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"Charlotte Dujardin was in the middle of the arena," he said. "She said to the student: 'Your horse must lift up the legs more in the canter.' She took the long whip and she was beating the horse more than 24 times in one minute. It was like an elephant in the circus.

"At that time, my client was thinking this must be normal. She is an Olympic winner. Who am I to doubt? My client asked around and was warned against speaking out in the UK. But last year my client saw others suspended in the UK and elsewhere.

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"And this weekend, she eventually made a decision to let me admit the complaint to the FEI and that happened yesterday. The FEI took this immediately very seriously."

“What happened was completely out of character and does not reflect how I train my horses or coach my pupils; however, there is no excuse,” Dujardin said in a statement on Instagram. “I am deeply ashamed and should have set a better example in that moment.

“I am sincerely sorry for my actions and devastated that I have let everyone down, including Team GB, fans and sponsors.”

The International Federation for Equestrian Sports, or FEI, said in a statement that it is investigating, and that Dujardin has been provisionally suspended from all events under the body's jurisdiction, pending results of the probe. The British Equestrian Federation also has made Dujardin ineligible for national events.

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The FEI said Dujardin has confirmed she was the individual shown in the video and requested her own provisional suspension.

“The FEI condemns any conduct contrary to the welfare of horses and has robust rules in place to address such behaviour,” the governing body said. “Our commitment to ensuring the highest standards of equine welfare and sportsmanship remains unwavering.”

The 39-year-old Dujardin won gold at the 2012 London Olympics in team and individual dressage and won another individual gold at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. She took bronze in team and individual at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and a silver in the team event in Rio. Her six medals are tied for the most by a female British Olympian.