GB's McEwen admits 'shock' at Dujardin actions

McEwen, aboard JL Dublin, is part of Great Britain's team at Paris 2024

Great Britain eventer Tom McEwen says Charlotte Dujardin's treatment of a horse came as a "shock" but doesn't "believe our sport is like that".

Dujardin, Britain's joint-most decorated female Olympian, pulled out of Paris 2024 on Tuesday after a video emerged of her "excessively" whipping a horse.

The 39-year-old has since been provisionally suspended by equestrian's governing body the FEI.

"I think it was a shock for all of us, but at the end of it we're here to portray our sport in a positive light," said McEwen, who is competing at Paris 2024 on JL Dublin.

"I believe eventing is one of the greatest sports - we're the triathlon of the horse world.

"I would be more than happy to let anyone come into our yard and see how well those horses are looked after. I think our sport is amazing and these horses are treated like kings and queens.

"I do believe that this week, all of us here can show the sport to be the amazing sport that it is."

Dujardin had been set to compete in both the individual dressage and team event on horse Imhotep at the Olympics.

The three-time Olympic gold medallist said she was "deeply ashamed" and her actions were "completely out of character".

Both British Equestrian (BEF) and British Dressage (BD) have imposed a provisional suspension on Dujardin pending the outcome of the FEI investigation.

She has also had her UK Sport funding suspended pending the investigation, while she was dropped as an ambassador for horse welfare charity Brooke.

A group of leading dressage riders, with signatories including her long-time Team GB colleague Carl Hester, have also condemned Dujardin's actions.

McEwen, 33, added: "We are 110% behind horse welfare. I definitely don't condone at all Charlotte's behaviour, but she has put her hands up to it, owned it and it's not for me to say, it's for the course, the process and the people to decide what punishment she should be getting for her actions.

"She is a human being at the end of it, so we have to respect her rights as well.

"It was a shock, but we have come here to do our job as an eventing team, so we have our focus and with eventing, you don't really get too much time on your hands.

"We've seen the news, we've read it, it's deeply sad for our sport, but at the same time I don't believe our sport is like that and we move on."

'This senseless violence must not happen'

Seven-time Olympic champion Isabell Werth says the sport needs a "cultural change".

The German, 55, is set to compete in her seventh Olympics at Paris 2024.

"I am incredibly sad," she told Reuters. "This is an absolute catastrophe for us and nobody understands it.

"We need to establish a culture of respecting the horse as a creature. Education is important, but this senseless violence must not happen, because otherwise, we'll have a hard time making our case to the rest of the world."