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Team Great Britain's dressage athlete Charlotte Dujardin announced her withdrawal from the 2024 Paris Olympics after a newly surfaced video featured her 'making an error of judgment during a training session'. Her case is currently under investigation by the International Federation of Equestrian Sports (FEI).
Charlotte Dujardin is widely regarded as one of the greatest dressage riders of her era, having amassed a total of three Olympic gold medals over the course of her career. She earned two gold medals in the individual and team dressage at the 2012 London Olympics, a silver in the individual and a gold in the team dressage at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and two bronze medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
She also boasts titles in the World Cup individual dressage and European freestyle, World freestyle and Grand Prix Special, and the individual Olympic freestyle on her resume. This incredible achievement made her the first dressage athlete to hold this complete set of titles at one point.
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Why is Charlotte Dujardin not competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics?
In a statement released on Dujardin's Instagram, she spoke about a video that has surfaced, showing her 'making an error of judgment during a coaching session'. Dujardin further shared that she decided to pull herself out of the Summer Games amid the FEI's investigation procedure.
"A video has emerged from four years ago which shows me making an error of jujudgment during a coaching session. Understandably, the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) is investigating and I have made the decision to withdraw from all competition – including the Paris Olympics – while this process takes place."
She added:
"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 in that moment."
In the closing part of her statement, Dujardin apologized for letting her team down with just a few days left for the Paris Olympics. She agreed to cooperate with the FEI and other bodies.
"I will cooperate fully with the FEI, British Equestrian Federation and British Dressage during their investigations, and will not be commenting further until the process is complete."
Charlotte Dujardin and her horse Valegro made their Olympic debut in 2012, where, in the first round, they scored 83.784% to set a new Olympic record. She took the same horse at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and the pair won two golds.
Another horse named Gio accompanied Charlotte Dujardin at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where the duo clinched two bronze medals. Now with Dujardin pulling out, Team GB's alternate, Becky Moody, will step up with her horse Jaegerbomb.
