Tokyo Olympics: the horse of a Swiss eventing rider euthanized after a fall

Tragic accident, Saturday morning in Japan, during the equestrian events of the Tokyo Games.

Jet Set, the mount of Swiss Robin Godel, had to be euthanized after being injured during the cross in the eventing.

"Due to the severity of the injury and the pain it caused, the horse had to be euthanized shortly after," said the statement from the Swiss Olympic Committee.

The horse severely tore a ligament in his front right leg on landing a jump, five obstacles before the end of the course, while landing in the last water suit.

So far, the 14-year-old gelding, which occupied the provisional 47th place after the dressage test, had done an excellent cross clear.

It is with great sadness that we announce that the Swiss horse Jet Set, ridden by Robin Godel has had to be euthanized after pulling up extremely lame on the Sea Forest Cross Country Course during the Equestrian Eventing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on 1 August 2021 . pic.twitter.com/B5hUZv2Pux

- The FEI (@FEI_Global) August 1, 2021

The Swiss Equestrian Federation also specifies that Robin Godel, 22, remained unharmed during the accident.

The injury to the horse would not be attributable to the rider, nor to the terrain of the Seafores Cross Country Courses.

The Swiss team decided to participate after the eventing

The Swiss team specifies that "despite the tragic accident, it has decided to participate in the final jumping competition", which will take place tomorrow Monday.

The replacement rider of the Swiss team, Eveline Bodenmüller will ride Violaine de la Brasserie, announces the text.

In the standings, the French team (Christopher Six, Karim Laghouag, Nicolas Touzaint), defending champion since Rio, temporarily occupies 3rd place with a total of 97.10 points. The Blues are only beaten by the British (78.30 pts) and the Australians (96.20 pts). New Zealand, the United States and Germany, the benchmark nation of the discipline, remain in ambush.