‘Relegate abusive events’: PETA urges IOC president to ban equestrian events from Olympic Games

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has urged to eliminate all equestrian events from the Olympics. In a letter written to Thomas Bach, who is the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), PETA mentioned the controversy over equestrian sports, citing an incident during the recently concluded 2020 Tokyo Olympics. 

In the letter dated August 13, PETA gave reference to an incident that happened during the Tokyo Olympics when German pentathlon competitor, Annika Schleu, was spotted spurring and whipping the horse Saint Boy after it refused to enter the course. 

Schleu’s trainer, Kim Raisner, was also seen hitting the horse, however, the coach was thrown out of the Tokyo Olympics for punching a horse during competition. 

But PETA writes that “fines and suspensions aren’t enough” to protect other horses who might face similar consequences. 

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Apart from Tokyo Games, PETA also noted two incidents in the equestrian eventing competition. In one Jet Set, a horse ridden by a Swiss competitor Robin Godel was injured so badly during a cross-country event that he had to be euthanized. 

While the other saw Irish rider Cian O’Connor force his mount Kilkenny to finish the course despite blood pouring from his nostrils. 

The letter also included the inclusion of new sports at the Tokyo Games like skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing. The letter further added that it’s “time to remove sports” that are no longer supported by the public. 

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“The Olympic Games showcase human athletes, not the ability to terrify and injure horses who don’t choose to compete yet are doing all the work, sometimes at the cost of their very lives,” said PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. 

 “Just as the games have evolved to include modern sports like skateboarding, PETA is calling on the International Olympic Committee to relegate abusive equestrian events to the history books.” 

So far, there’s no comment from the IOC.