Distressed GMB viewers beg show to stop airing horrific video of shamed Olympian Charlotte Dujardin whipping a horse
SHOCKED Good Morning Britain viewers begged show bosses to stop airing an horrific video containing animal abuse on today’s programme.
The ITV Daytime staple repeatedly screened footage taken two years ago showing Olympian Charlotte Dujardin whipping a horse in training.
The clip shows Dujardin hitting the horse with a long whip at least 25 times in one minute during a lesson with a 19-year-old female student at her private stable.
Following its release she voluntarily withdrew from the Paris Olympics, which is set to start on Friday, and spoke of her “deep shame”.
GMB viewers slammed the rider’s actions and also criticised the programme for the numerous replays throughout the show.
One person posted on X: “FFS #GMB stop playing the video of Charlotte Dujardin whipping the horse on repeat. It’s awful and not necessary. We get it, she abuses animals. Stop sensationalising it!!”
Another said: “Stop showing this awful video of the horse being whipped for the sake of TV ratings. Tut Tut!”
A third wrote: “please stop showing the video of the horse being whipped it’s so distressing, I am glad she has been banned she doesn’t deserve to be anywhere near a horse.”
A fourth said: “Please stop showing this poor horse being constantly whipped it’s heartbreaking to see as for that cruel disgusting so called human being she should never be allowed near a horse again.”
The FEI, the sport’s governing body, has launched a probe into the incident and has issued the athlete with a provisional six-month ban.
The scandal ruins Dujardin’s chances of adding to her six Olympic medals, including three golds.
In a statement, the 39-year-old said: “A video has emerged from four years ago which shows me making an error of judgement 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.
“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.
“I am sincerely sorry for my actions and devastated that I have let everyone down, including Team GB, fans and sponsors.
“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.”
LEGACY BLOW
Dujardin needed just one more Olympic medal to move past another great, Laura Kenny.
The pair have both won six medals each with Dujardin winning two gold medals in her first Olympics at London 2012 on horse Valegro.
But Kenny has won more golds — five to Dujardin’s three.
She followed up that success by defending her Individual dressage title at Rio 2016 while also picking up silver in the team event.
Dujardin then switched horses and rode Gio to bronze in both the individual and team events in Tokyo.
After she won gold in Rio her then-fiancé Dean Golding wore a shirt bearing the proposal “Can we get married now?”.
According to Dutch media, a complaint relating to animal welfare was filed against Dujardin on Monday morning.
Dutch lawyer Stephan Wensing, acting on behalf of his client, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “It’s unacceptable that dressage sport should be accompanied by animal abuse.
“If top-level sport can only be performed in such a way that the welfare of the horse is compromised, then top-level sport should be abolished.
“Everyone who deals with horses has their own responsibility in this, and this also applies to bystanders who become aware of excesses.
“Equestrian sport must regulate itself and ensure that there can never be a discussion about horse welfare in sport again.
“This is a very important task for the jury members who have lost sight of the core value of dressage for far too long and have overvalued spastic movements of horses.
“It’s extremely sad that one of the most successful riders in the world has to pay the price.
“But this rider has also not taken any responsibility and this cannot go unpunished.
“The federations and in particular the FEI can be expected to take even more adequate action against animal abuse, precisely to ensure the continued existence of equestrian sports.”