Double Olympic dressage champion Charlotte Dujardin has been hit with a one-year suspension following the emergence of a shocking video showing her whipping a horse.

The controversy forced Dujardin, who is Britain's joint-most successful female Olympian, was forced to withdraw from the Paris Games earlier this year, and has now been the subject of further action from the International Federation for Equestrian Sports has now announced her ban.

In the video, Dujardin appears to use an equestrian's whip to strike the legs of the horse up to 24 times.

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According to Dutch lawyer Stephan Wensing, who reported the offence on behalf of his client, the video is supposedly from 2022 when his client sponsored a young rider, a 19-year-old girl, to attend the lesson with Dujardin. Wensing added that the horse was whipped "like an elephant in a circus" as Dujardin struck the horse two dozen times with a whip in "one minute and really hard, really harsh, really tough".

The governing body of horse sports said: "The FEI carefully reviewed the Video, and counted more than 20 hits of the whip.

"Such use clearly amounts to an excessive use of the whip which caused, or was likely to have caused discomfort and possibly pain to the horse.

"It is the view of the FEI that Ms Dujardin’s misconduct warrants the imposition of sanctions.

"Ms Dujardin admits that she committed Abuse of Horse, a breach of the FEI Code of Conduct for the Welfare the Horse, and engaged in conduct that brings the FEI and/or equestrian sport into disrepute."

The three-time Olympic gold medallist said she was “deeply ashamed” by her “error of judgement”

She has also been hit with a £8,900 fine.

Had she won a medal in France in the summer, the Enfield-born rider would have taken seven from four Games, a record that would have seen her overtake cyclist Laura Kenny's record of six.

It would have also left her well placed to be handed a Damehood in the King's New Year's Honours List.

A UK Sport spokesperson previously said of the incident: “We expect all staff and athletes in Olympic and Paralympic sport to adhere to the highest standards of behaviour, ethics and integrity.

“We are disturbed by the serious concerns that have been raised in the past 24 hours regarding horse welfare and Charlotte Dujardin.

“Sport national governing bodies are required to notify us when they become aware of any conduct-related issues involving a World Class Programme athlete or member of staff so it can be reviewed under the Funding Eligibility Policy.”