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Heath Ryan Olympic dressage rider Was suspended by Equestrian Australia on Thursday after the video shared online showed him was whipped a horse.
The sports director organ announced the suspensions in a long post, adding that he followed both the revelation of the online video and an official complaint.
File – Heath Ryan Waves in Australia after riding with “Greenoaaks Dundee” during the equestrian event of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 13, 2008 in Hong Kong. (Mike Clarke / AFP via Getty Images)
“Equestrian Australia is extremely alarmed and concerned about the treatment of the horse shown in these images “, the press release indicates. Ryan was not appointed in the press release.
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“Equestrian Australia imposed this afternoon a provisional suspension of membership of this person on equestrian Australia and their rights, privileges and advantages associated with their membership this afternoon.
Ryan, who represented Australia at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, published a long message on social networks saying that the video was two years ago and shared by an “unhappy ex-employee”. The reports indicate that the video has shown that Ryan whipping the horse 42 times.
File – Heath Ryan from Lochinvar, New South Wales, Australia, at the Flame summit, participates in the dressage phase of the three -day Rolex Kentucky 2007 event in Kentucky Horse Park on April 27, 2007 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Doug Penser / Getty Images)))
Equestrian Rider gold medal withdraws from the Olympic Games after the video shows an alleged “error of judgment” with Horse
He said that the horse, Nico, was brought to him by a family friend after this person was hospitalized following an incident with the horse. Ryan said he had saved the horse from being euthanized.
“If a beautiful [6-year-old] The horse presents itself in your establishment and it was raised by your stallion and it belonged to a friend of your life who had been put in the hospital in intensive care by this horse, would you just want to send it to the arbor ?? Well, I did not do it and I felt forced to see the horse to just see and see if it was perhaps recoverable, “he wrote in an article on Facebook.
Heath Ryan of Australia and Greenoaks Dundee occur in the Grand Prix de Dressage Individual which was held at the Olympic equestrian place in Hong Kong in Sha Tin during day 5 of the 2008 Olympic Games from 2008 on August 13, 2008 in Hong Kong, China. (Images Julian Herbert / Getty)
“I am so sad that it was taken on video. If I had thought of myself, I would have immediately left and sent Nico to the Talle. This video was a moment of life or death for Nico and I am very aware,” said Ryan, adding later that his actions were carried out in the “best interest” of the animal.
Equestrian Australia said she “took up questions animal welfare Very seriously “and that Ryan’s suspension will remain in place while waiting for an investigation by the integrity unit of Equestrian Australia.
