A German modern pentathlon coach has been thrown out of the Tokyo Olympics for punching a horse during the competition.
Coach Kim Raisner was trying to assist German athlete Annika Schleu as she battled to control her horse named Saint Boy ahead of her showjumping round in the women's event on Friday, August 6, NBC News reports.
Athletes are given only 20 minutes to bond with an unfamiliar horse before their round and Schleu - who had been leading the field - was in tears as she came into the ring.
Saint Boy, who had already proven to be difficult to manage for his first athlete, refused to trot around the course, with a number of people on social media raising concerns about the way Schleu and Raisner were treating the horse.
The world governing body for modern pentathlon, the UIPM, acknowledged those concerns ahead of the men's event on Saturday, August 7, as it issued a statement over Raisner's treatment of the horse.
"The UIPM Executive Board (EB) has given a black card to the Germany team coach Kim Raisner, disqualifying her from the remainder of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games," the statement read, per NBC News.
"The EB reviewed video footage that showed Ms Raisner appearing to strike the horse Saint Boy, ridden by Annika Schleu, with her fist during the riding discipline of the women's modern pentathlon competition.
"Her actions were deemed to be in violation of the UIPM competition rules, which are applied to all recognized modern pentathlon competitions including the Olympic Games."
"The EB decision was made today at the Tokyo Stadium before the resumption of the men's modern pentathlon competition," the statement added.
Raisner is a former modern pentathlete who competed at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
As the event unfolded yesterday, many people expressed their displeasure with the way that Saint Boy was treated during the race, as Schleu appeared to be forceful in attempting to get the horse to ride properly against his will.
Outraged viewers rushed to social media to share their concerns over the treatment of Saint Boy.
One tweeted: "Painful and distressing to watch Annika Schleu being allowed to dig her spurs in, yank on the horses mouth and crack it with the whip repeatedly.
"You should have dismounted, he very clearly didn't want to jump. Shame on you and shame on #pentathlon #TokyoOlympics"
WHile another wrote: "Can someone please let me know how on earth it is in any way acceptable for a coach to punch a horse in this disgusting manner??
"I hope that Annika Schleu, & her coach get a huge fine & are banned from further competitions for their behavior."