Disgraced Team GB dressage rider Charlotte Dujardin is all smiles as she is seen for the first time since being banned from the Olympics for vile horse whipping video she said had left her ‘deeply ashamed’

Charlotte Dujardin was all smiles as she was seen for the first time since being banned from the Paris 2024 Olympics for distressing footage that emerged of her repeatedly whipping a horse. 

The disgraced Team GB dressage rider, 39, was seen visiting a friend at Gloucester airport with her fiance Dean Wyatt-Golding in her first public outing since the vile video sent shockwaves through the equestrian world on July 24. 

Dujardin was sensationally banned from the sport just days before the Paris Olympics after being accused of whipping a horse on its legs more than 24 times.

The six-time Olympic medalist was outed after the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) was sent video footage allegedly showing Dujardin mistreating the horse at a UK training venue. 

According to Dutch lawyer Stephan Wensing, who raised the grievance on behalf of his client, the animal in question was whipped ‘like an elephant in a circus’, hitting the horse two dozen times in ‘one minute and really hard, really harsh, really tough’.

Charlotte Dujardin was seen for the first time since withdrawing from the Olympics at Gloucestershire airport with her fiance Dean Wyatt-Golding yesterday

The couple were joined by race horse owner Peter Belshaw for the trip on Wednesday evening

Dujardin was all smiles yesterday weeks after she withdrew from competition on the eve of the Olympics

The Team GB dressage rider appeared to be in good spirits as Mr Belshaw showed off his private jet to her family

The Olympian would have been one of the favourites for gold in the individual dressage before her dramatic withdrawal from the games

Durjardin could be seen holding a pink and white lunch bag as she walked back to her car next to the airport

The mother-of-one previously said she felt ‘deeply ashamed’ after video emerged of her whipping a horse repeatedly during a lesson with a student

The three-time gold medal winning athlete shared a hug with Mr Belshaw as her family departed the airport

Mr Wensing then revealed his client was a sponsor of a young rider, a 19-year-old girl, who had attended a lesson with Dujardin two and a half years ago. 

The alleged whistleblower had filmed the lesson but was warned against making an official complaint due to Dujardin’s previously sparkling reputation.

In a statement of apology, Dujardin claimed she was ‘deeply ashamed’ and ‘devastated’ at her actions, calling what happened in the video ‘an error of judgement’. 

But new photographs show the disgraced star looking elated as she beamed alongside her partner, and who appears to be their child, while the couple met up with a friend. 

Around the time of the shocking video’s emergence, Dujardin said in a statement: ‘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.’ 

Dujardin’s fiance Dean previously said outside the couple’s countryside home that the allegation had ‘all come out of the blue’. 

Team GB ‘s Olympic dressage champion Charlotte Dujardin has withdrawn from the Paris Games over a video showing her making an ‘error of judgement’

Charlotte Dujardin with her Tokyo 2020 Olympic winning horse Gio (left) and former Olympic gold medal winner Valegro (right) in 2021

Dujardin with her fiance Dean Wyatt-Golding after winning the gold old medal at the Dressage in the 2016 Rio Olympics

Dujardin (pictured at the Olympic Games in 2012) was hoping to become Britain’s most decorated Olympian but was forced to pull out of the games last month 

‘I can’t say anything beyond Charlotte’s statement. All we can do is wait and see what happens,’ he said. 

Asked if he knew who the video had been released by and how it had been shared, Mr Golding said: ‘No, we have no idea. 

‘Charlotte is obviously cooperating with the equestrian authorities for now.’ 

The couple have a one-year-old daughter, Isabella, who was due in Paris to watch her mother compete, with Dujardin telling the Mail: ‘People say it’s the end of your career to have kids but we are showing it isn’t’. 

She was back on horseback within six weeks of having Isabella, and said it would be ‘very special riding in front of her in Paris’.

The FEI has provisionally suspended the athlete for six months while it investigates the footage of Dujardin allegedly mistreating a horse at an educational day in a UK training venue.

The sporting body said it was sent just three days before Friday’s Opening Ceremony where Dujardin was tipped to be among the contenders to be the flag bearer for Team GB.