Dressage rider flies to the whip from the national team
Danish dressage rider Carina Cassoe Krüth has been excluded from the national team after being accused of severely whipping a horse. Following the emergence of a video confirming the allegations, she was fined. The federation has now also suspended her from the national team, indefinitely.
Danish dressage rider Carina Cassoe Krüth has been excluded from the national team due to a video showing her severely whipping a horse. The federation announced that her behavior in the 2022 training video was incompatible with the norms and values described in the sport plan for the federation's squad and national team members. The duration of the suspension is currently unknown.
Cassoe Krüth was initially set to travel as a reserve rider with the dressage team to the Olympics but withdrew her participation shortly before the team was announced. According to the news agency Ritzau, this happened after the video was sent to the Danish Equestrian Federation. Last year, she won EM bronze with the Danish team and WM gold in 2022.
Initially, a fine was imposed
Initially, the federation imposed a fine of around 670 euros on Cassoe Krüth. Her suspension came after the video was published online and sparked fierce criticism in Denmark. This is the latest shocking case in the dressage sport scene. Before the Games, three-time Olympic champion Charlotte Dujardin made headlines when a four-year-old video surfaced showing her allegedly mistreating a horse.
The international federation FEI announced that Dujardin had been provisionally suspended pending investigations. The 39-year-old had requested the suspension herself. "What happened is not at all how I behave and does not reflect how I train my horses or teach my students, but there is no excuse," Dujardin said in a later statement. "I am deeply ashamed and should have set a better example. I sincerely apologize for my behavior."
Despite the fine and suspension, Cassoe Krüth's participation in the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris remains uncertain due to her exclusion from the national team. The scandal surrounding her conduct could potentially impact her eligibility for future international competitions.
The Olympic Games 2024 in Paris may serve as a fresh start for many athletes, but for Cassoe Krüth, her future in the sport hinges on how she navigates this controversy and demonstrates her commitment to equestrian values.
