PARIS (AP) — Three-time Olympic gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin of Britain repeatedly whipped a horse while coaching another rider in a video that was published by multiple media outlets Wednesday.
The video is part of an official complaint filed against Dujardin with the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, or FEI. It shows Dujardin repeatedly striking the horse, walking closer and swinging the whip again after it moves away.
Dujardin was set to compete in the Paris Games but withdrew after word of the video emerged. She said Tuesday in a statement that the video is from four years ago, and it “shows me making an error of judgment during a coaching session.” She said it “was completely out of character” and she was “deeply ashamed.”
Stephan Wensing, a Dutch equine lawyer who represents the complainant to FEI, told Sky News the video was taken 2 1/2 years ago at a private barn in the United Kingdom. Wensing said his client was watching the lesson and took the video.
Dujardin has been provisionally suspended from all events under FEI jurisdiction, pending results of the probe. The FEI said Dujardin has confirmed she is the person shown in the video, and that she requested her own provisional suspension.
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.
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
Olympic equestrian champion Charlotte Dujardin shown repeatedly whipping horse on video
Olympic equestrian champion Charlotte Dujardin shown repeatedly whipping horse on video
FILE - Britain's Charlotte Dujardin, riding Gio, competes in the equestrian dressage individual final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 28, 2021, in Tokyo. Three-time Olympic gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin of Great Britain has withdrawn from the Paris Games after a video emerged that she says shows her behaving inappropriately while coaching other riders. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
NEW YORK (AP) — After a couple of new chances to win a Grand Slam title slipped away at the U.S. Open, Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson couldn't help thinking about what happened at Wimbledon.
“Yeah, a fair bit,” Purcell said.
They left the All England Club with their hearts broken. This trip to Flushing Meadows ended with a celebration. Purcell and Thompson won the U.S. Open men's doubles championship Saturday, avoiding another late collapse and beating the 10th-seeded German team of Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz 6-4, 7-6 (4) for their first major trophy together.
The No. 7 seeds from Australia held three match points in July at Wimbledon but lost in a third-set tiebreaker to Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten.
The Australians let two match points get away Saturday when they held a 5-3 lead with Krawietz serving. Soon it was 5-all, because Purcell was broken at love when serving for the match.
But his serve was there when they needed it at the end, closing out the match with an ace at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“Wimbledon kind of helped us and probably made us focus a little bit more once it kind of slipped again to make sure it didn’t slip a third time,” Purcell said.
Close friends who have both been coached by Thompson's father, the duo improved to 50-10 overall, including 37-6 this season. This was their fifth title together and earned them $750,000.
“We don’t think of it as, ‘We’re doubles players,’” said Thompson, who got to the fourth round of singles at the U.S. Open before losing to another Australian, Alex de Minaur. “We think we’re singles players, and doubles is just a bonus, and we get an extra practice trying to improve our singles. And then it all just comes together.”
It was Thompson's first Grand Slam doubles title. Purcell won Wimbledon in 2022 with another Australian, Matthew Ebden.
Thompson and Purcell became the first all-Australian team to win the U.S. Open men's doubles title since Hall of Famers Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge in 1995 and 1996.
Krawietz and Puetz will share $375,000.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Max Purcell, right, and Jordan Thompson, of Australia, react after defeating Tim Puetz and Kevin Krawietz, of Germany in the men's doubles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Jordan Thompson, left, and Max Purcell, of Australia, returns a shot to Tim Puetz and Kevin Krawietz, of Germany in the men's doubles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Tim Puetz, left, and Kevin Krawietz, of Germany, return a shot to Jordan Thompson, and Max Purcell, of Australia, during the men's doubles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Men's doubles final champions Max Purcell, left, and Jordan Thompson, of Australia, pose for a photo with runners-up Kevin Krawietz, and Tim Puetz, of Germany, after the men's doubles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Max Purcell, left, and Jordan Thompson, of Australia, hold up the championship trophy after defeating Tim Puetz and Kevin Krawietz, of Germany in the men's doubles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Max Purcell, left, and Jordan Thompson, of Australia, react after defeating Tim Puetz and Kevin Krawietz, of Germany in the men's doubles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
