The Modern Pentathlon Federation (UIPM) said the video footage showed Kim Raisner appearing to hit the Saint Boy horse.
(CNN) -
Germany's modern pentathlon coach Kim Raisner was disqualified from Tokyo 2020 for hitting a horse, the Modern Pentathlon Federation (UIPM) said in a statement Saturday.
The incident occurred as Raisner was attempting to help modern pentathlete Annika Schleu, prior to her round of jumping in Friday's women's event.
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During the demonstration, Schleu was seen visibly struggling to control Saint Boy, the horse with which he had been assigned to jump.
"The UIPM Executive Board (EB) has given a black card to the coach of the Germany team, Kim Raisner, disqualifying her from the rest of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games," said UIPM.
"The EB reviewed the video footage showing Ms. Raisner hitting the Saint Boy horse, ridden by Annika Schleu (GER), with her fist during the Equestrian discipline of the Women's Modern Pentathlon competition."
Annika Schleu's Saint Boy horse had refused to jump several times during modern pentathlon competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Saint Boy resisted and refused to trot around the ring as Schleu tried to dominate him.
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Athletes in the pentathlon are assigned horses to compete at random and are only given 20 minutes to bond with their horse before the jumping round begins.
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"Today's competition in the modern pentathlon was partially characterized by scenes that damaged the image of the sport," the German Olympic Committee said in a statement sent to CNN on Saturday.
"Numerous recognizable excessive demands on horse and jockey combinations should be an urgent reason for the international association to modify the rules.
"It needs to be changed so that the horse and rider are protected. Animal welfare and fair competition for athletes must be the focus."
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The UIPM did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment on the allocation of horses in the competition and the issue of animal welfare.
CNN also solicited comments from Raisner and Schleu through the German Olympic Committee.
"I said 'hit it'. However, it in no way hurt the horse," Raisner told the German Sports Information Service, according to DW and other German media outlets.
"The fact that you hit the back with the whip is no longer considered torture. It didn't tear the horse's mouth, it didn't have sharp spurs, torturing horses looks different."
"I just started crying"
Schleu, who had been leading the field before the show jumping event, was in tears when she entered the ring riding Saint Boy.
Raisner could be heard on TV telling Schleu to hit the horse to get Saint Boy to behave.
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Raisner was then seen hitting the horse once over its hind leg.
The incident was quickly picked up on social media, sparking a debate about the welfare of horses participating in the modern pentathlon.
After the jumping show, Schleu said he felt Saint Boy lacked confidence.
"I spoke to (his horse's owner) and she said to gallop in and let him go," Schleu told reporters on Friday.
"I tried, but he didn't want to go. I just started crying."
"I didn't expect to make him go and that was the reason I was crying."
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