British Dressage chiefs declared last night that the video of Charlotte Dujardin whipping a horse 24 times ‘like a circus elephant’ was released ‘to cause maximum damage’ to the star’s Olympic quest.
Less than 72 hours before the Opening Ceremony of Paris 2024, footage of Team GB’s golden girl sent shockwaves through the equestrian world and beyond, causing the triple gold medalist to pull out of the games.
The row has now intensified over the motives of the unnamed complainant, with the boss of British Dressage stating that while Dujardin’s actions were ‘completely unacceptable’, he poured fuel on the suggestion that dirty tricks were at play.
The head of the sporting body cast doubt over the mystery complainants suggestion that the sudden grievance about the footage – which was filmed several years ago – had been made to ‘save dressage’ branding the claim ‘somewhat disingenuous’.
Meanwhile Madeline Hall, former dressage correspondent at Horse & Hound magazine, said: ‘The timing of this video days before the Olympics smells of sabotage. To me it is suspect.’
Dutch lawyer Stephan Wensing refused to divulge his client’s identity. It is unknown if she is also from the Netherlands, which has always been a strong rival of Team GB in equestrian sports.
Yet yesterday Team NL swiftly batted away any suggestion the leak of Dujardin, who had hoped to become Britain’s most decorated female Olympian this year, had come from them insisting that they ‘only just saw the video after it was published’.
The video in question shows the dressage star allegedly lashing a horse at stables in Gloucestershire was made public by a Dutch lawyer on behalf of an anonymous client, who filmed it several years ago but has chosen to release it only now.
Footage showed Charlotte Dujardin seemingly hitting a horse repeatedly with a whip across the legs
Dujardin has withdrawn from the Paris Games over a video showing her making an ‘error of judgement’
Dujardin (pictured at the Olympic Games in 2012) was hoping to become Britain’s most decorated Olympian but was forced to pull out of the games on Monday
The timing of the complaint has raised suspicions with CEO of British Dressage Jason Brautigam stating the grievance was ‘timed to cause maximum damage’ before urging people to ‘kind’ to the fallen athlete
Dujardin declared that she was ‘deeply ashamed’ by her behaviour as she bid farewell to her chance to become Britain’s most decorated female Olympian.
Ms Dujardin narrowly defeated TeamNL at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and they were due to clash again next Tuesday at the Palace of Versailles.
A spokesperson for the Netherlands team said they ‘regret the expulsion of our fellow athlete’ but ‘also condemn the training method used by Dujardin in the video’, adding: ‘This has no place in our equestrian sports where the welfare of the horse comes first.
‘We are aware the video was released by a Dutch lawyer but would like to emphasise that the origin and the release has got no relation whatsoever to the Dutch Olympic team. We only just saw the video after it was published.’
Ms Dujardin was shown the video by the sport’s governing body, who had been sent it by the female whistleblower.
Mr Wensing said: ‘It’s not fun to ruin a career. [My client] is not celebrating; she doesn’t feel like a hero. But she told me this had to be done as she wants to save dressage.’
Reacting to the news last night, Mr Brautigam, who heads up the UK’s organisation for dressage, said the last few days had been ‘an extremely upsetting time for everyone involved in the sport’, adding that the community had been ‘let down’.
‘Let me be clear: the actions we have witnessed in that video are completely unacceptable. We have all been shocked and appalled by this indefensible conduct,’ he said in an email to members.
Charlotte Dujardin with her Tokyo 2020 Olympic winning horse Gio (left) and former Olympic gold medal winner Valegro (right) in 2021. She has since been suspended following a horse whipping scandal
‘As I have always said, the horse is at the heart of everything we do in British Dressage, and equine welfare must always be paramount above all other considerations.’
The chief of British Dressage rejected claims that the group had seen the video prior to its public release this week, adding that it supports all whistleblowers.
Yet Mr Brautigam also asked his members to take a sympathetic approach to Dujardin, reminding each member they have a ‘duty of care’ to one another.
‘Charlotte Dujardin has done the right thing by accepting responsibility and expressing remorse,’ he added.
‘While we do not condone her behaviour, we must remember that there is also a human element to this – and, regardless of what has happened, she still deserves our understanding.
‘Please be kind and bear in mind that we have a duty of care in our interactions with one another.’
He went on to probe the motives behind the complaint.
‘I do find claims that this was done to ‘save dressage’ somewhat disingenuous, given that it was timed to cause maximum damage to our sport,’ he added.
‘However, what will save dressage is how we all respond to this crisis by demonstrating our love and care for horses.’
As well as being given a six-month provisional ban, Ms Dujardin was dumped by at least three of her sponsors – riding helmet brand Charles Owen, insurance company KBIS and Danish equestrian equipment company Equine LTS.
UK Sport has suspended her Lottery funding, and Brooke, the world’s largest horse welfare charity, axed her as its ambassador, saying: ‘Our whole ethos is around kindness and compassion to horses and to see the opposite of this from someone with such a high profile is beyond disappointing.’
Ms Dujardin would have been a shoo-in for a damehood if she had picked up a medal in Paris, which was all she needed to become Britain’s most successful female Olympian ever.
Footage resurfaced of Dujardin showing how to ‘correctly’ whip a horse has (pictured is a grab from the video)
Dujardin with her fiancé Dean Wyatt-Golding after winning the gold medal at the Dressage in the 2016 Rio Olympics
But Whitehall sources have disclosed that any such honour is now off the table. She also faces being stripped of the CBE she was awarded in 2017.
The honours committee will await the result of the probe by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) before deciding.
The video shows Ms Dujardin lashing a horse as it was trained in how to perform a ‘piaffe’, a form of slow trot. Mr Wensing likened it to a circus elephant being mistreated.
In a statement on Tuesday evening, Ms Dujardin apologised to her sponsors, fans and Team GB.
She said: ‘A video has emerged from four years ago which shows me making an error of judgment during a coaching session.
‘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. I am deeply ashamed and should have set a better example at that moment.’
Team GB yesterday revealed that Yorkshirewoman Becky Moody, riding her horse Jaegerbomb, will replace Ms Dujardin in the British dressage team at the Olympics.
