German pentathlon coach thrown out of Tokyo Olympics Games for punching a horse

Annika Schleu of Germany looks upset as she battles to control Saint Boy during the modern pentathlon at the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

A German modern pentathlon coach has been thrown out of the Tokyo Olympics for punching a horse during competition.

Kim Raisner was trying to assist German athlete Annika Schleu as she battled to control Saint Boy ahead of her show jumping round in the women’s event on Friday.

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 a tricky ride for his first athlete, bucked and 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 and then issued a statement revealing Raisner’s punishment.