Paris: One of Team GB’s biggest Olympic stars and a clear medal hope, equestrian Charlotte Dujardin has withdrawn from the Paris Olympic Games at the last moment after what she has described as “an error of judgement.”
The 39-year-old, who has three gold medals and six in total in equestrian events, withdrew after the release of a four-year-old video of her in a training session, reports Xinhua.
“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,” explained the rider in a statement.
It was not immediately clear what the video showed.
Dujardin won individual and team gold medals at the 2012 London Olympics an individual gold and a silver in Rio and two bronze medals in Tokyo.
She said she was “sincerely sorry for her actions and devastated to have let everyone down.”
–IANS