Charlotte Dujardin Banned Over Whipping Incident

Charlotte Dujardin, a renowned British dressage rider and three-time Olympic gold medallist, has been banned for one year by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) following a video showing her excessively whipping a horse during a training session. The video, filmed four years ago, surfaced shortly before the Paris Olympics, leading to her provisional suspension and withdrawal from the games. The FEI's investigation confirmed the conduct as contrary to horse welfare principles, resulting in a CHF 10,000 fine alongside the suspension. Dujardin expressed deep remorse, acknowledging the incident as an error of judgment and emphasizing that it was out of character. British Equestrian and British Dressage have aligned with the FEI's decision, prohibiting her participation in national competitions during the suspension period. Dujardin's suspension is backdated to July 2024, allowing her to resume competition in July 2025.