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PETA, which made a similar request in August during the Tokyo
Games after acts of cruelty to horses, said it would step up its
pressure by asking supporters to contact the IOC directly and
urge it to "modernise."
"We think this is a body that brings about change. The Olympic
Games have evolved over the years. Croquet was once part of the
competition," PETA senior vice president Kathy Guillermo told
Reuters via email.
"But values change and now is the time for the IOC to recognise
that ... Our pressure is on the IOC. We wrote to it in August
urging it to eliminate all equine events from the Games."
Equestrian events in the Olympics feature dressage, eventing and
jumping disciplines.
The IOC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Germany's modern pentathlon coach Kim Raisner hit Annika
Schleu's horse, Saint Boy, at the Tokyo Games when it refused to
jump a fence and the incident drew widespread criticism.
In response to the outrage and as part of efforts to embrace
change, modern pentathlon's governing body, the International
Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM) said on Thursday it would drop
horse riding in the event from the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
Modern pentathlon has been an Olympic sport since 1912 featuring
five events - fencing, swimming, equestrian show jumping, pistol
shooting and cross-country running.
UIPM is set to begin a consultation process soon to find a
suitable replacement for riding.
FULLY COMMITTED
The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) said it was "fully
committed" to the responsible use of horses in sport.
"But the incident during the show jumping competition in modern
pentathlon at the Tokyo Games unfortunately impacted the social
acceptance of horse sport as a whole," an FEI spokesperson said
in a statement to Reuters.
"Equestrian sport is based on the unique relationship between an
athlete and a horse that is honed over many years, and it is
this bond and mutual trust which allows the partnership to
shine.
"As modern pentathlon athletes do not have the opportunity to
create this rapport with their horse in the riding phase of
their sport, it sadly led to some unedifying scenes in Tokyo."
Guillermo said Raisner's act in Tokyo was not an isolated
incident.
"In addition to the pentathlon scandal, Jet Set, ridden by Swiss
Robin Godel, appeared to be injured in the middle of a
cross-country course during Olympic competition," she added.
"Veterinarians diagnosed the injury as an irreparable ligament
rupture in one of his legs and he was euthanised nL8N2P80AF.
Guillermo also highlighted another incident during the Tokyo
Games show jumping event in which blood poured from Kilkenny's
nose as the horse finished the course.
"Not even one horse should suffer or die for a gold medal," she
added.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken
Ferris)
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