PARIS: The equestrian governing body (FEI) in charge of the Olympic riding in Versailles has found pictures of horses with blue tongues caused by oxygen shortage during dressage competition, the organization’s chief vet told Reuters on Tuesday.
Horse welfare issues are under close scrutiny at the Olympics as the sport grapples with the fallout from an incident involving British star rider Charlotte Dujardin that revived ethical debates and fears about its Olympic future.
Six-times Olympic medallist Dujardin was provisionally suspended on July 27 after footage emerged showing her whipping a horse’s legs multiple times during training.
The FEI has reviewed pictures from Olympics dressage events taken by one of its photographers, FEI chief vet Goran Akerstrom said, adding that some of the pictures taken at the dressage Grand Prix last Tuesday showed scenes of harm to animals.
“The concern on those pictures were the blue tongues, likely caused by high rein tension,” Akerstrom said, adding that the double bridles which are mandatory in top-level dressage tournaments also played a role in cutting off oxygen from the the tongue, causing “pain or unnecessary discomfort.”
Animal rights campaign groups such as PETA have criticized dressage riders for using double bridles.
The FEI did not take any disciplinary measures and the findings will not affect the dressage results. The body’s vets notified the competition jury which then summoned the concerned riders for a “discussion” on the issue, Akerstrom said.
Reeling from the Dujardin incident, the Switzerland-based FEI had pledged it would be uncompromising in ensuring animal welfare in Versailles. The photo review for the first time included a layer of special checks linked to horse welfare.
FEI officials had earlier sanctioned a Brazilian rider for a controversial neck hyperflexion and disqualified some horses with minor bleeding during the Olympics.
Equestrian governing body finds blue horse tongues in dressage review
https://arab.news/z8mzx
Equestrian governing body finds blue horse tongues in dressage review
- Horse welfare issues are under close scrutiny at the Olympics
- Some of the pictures taken at the dressage Grand Prix last Tuesday showed scenes of harm to animals
Napoli cruise past Milan to book Italian Super Cup final spot in Riyadh
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RIYADH: On one of the coldest evenings of the year in Riyadh, the atmosphere inside Al-Awwal Park was anything but subdued. Thousands of fans braved the conditions to witness another major chapter in Saudi Arabia’s growing international calendar, as Napoli and AC Milan went head-to-head in the first semi-final of the 2025/26 Italian Super Cup.
It wasn’t to be for I Rossoneri, as goals from David Neres and Rasmus Hojlund proved decisive for Napoli, sending them into the Super Cup final for the second time in the new four-team format after missing out on last year’s edition.
Backed by raucous Forza Milan chants, Milan nearly opened the scoring in the fifth minute when Ruben Loftus-Cheek tested Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, who reacted sharply to make a vital save.
Napoli responded with a spell of pressure of their own, but were repeatedly denied by a well-organised Milan defence.
Milan came close again in the 34th minute, as Adrien Rabiot was found inside the six-yard box from a dipping cross, only for his effort to fly over Milinkovic-Savic.
They would keep that momentum going as just a few minutes later, a swift counter-attack led by Alexis Saelemaekers found Christopher Nkunku on the edge of the box, though his strike also flew over goal.
Napoli punished Milan’s missed chances in the 39th minute. A low pass from Rasmus Hojlund across the box was parried by Mike Maignan straight into the path of David Neres, who made no mistake slotting the ball into the open net.
Napoli pushed for a second before the interval, with Hojlund testing Maignan again, who turned the striker’s effort behind for a corner. The Milan goalkeeper was called into action once again in the second half, producing a strong save to deny Amir Rrahmani.
Yet it was another powerful strike that finally broke past the Frenchman, with Rasmus Hojlund capitalising on a deep through ball from Leonardo Spinazzola to extend Napoli’s lead in the 63rd minute and tighten their grip on the game.
Milan fans briefly found a lift in the 75th minute when Luka Modric came out to a standing ovation, though it proved to be their only notable moment of the second half. Despite enjoying spells of possession, Massimiliano Allegri’s side were unable to break through and exited the tournament after just 90 minutes.
Napoli will now turn their attention to the final, where they will look to lift the Italian Super Cup for the third time in their history. For Riyadh, the semi-final marked another night of elite European football, with fans set to witness more action in tomorrow’s semi-final between Bologna and Inter Milan.
