'Error of judgement' video ends Dujardin's Olympics

Dressage champion 'deeply ashamed' and pulls out of Games

- JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

Charlotte Dujardin, one of the stars of Team GB ahead of the Olympics, has been banned from the Paris Games after she was filmed allegedly mistreating a horse in a training session at a private stable.

Dujardin, a three-time Olympic champion, earlier withdrew from all competition due to a video that shows the dressage rider “making an error of judgement during a coaching session” four years ago. She is alleged to have repeatedly hit the legs of a student’s horse with a whip while on the ground.

The International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) confirmed that it had been sent footage of Dujardin “engaging in conduct contrary to the principles of horse welfare” and has decided to provisionally suspend the rider for six months with immediate effect.

The FEI said in a statement that Dujardin fully cooperated with their investigation, and admitted she was the individual in the video, while acknowledging her conduct was inappropriate before withdrawing from the Olympics.