LGBTQ+ dressage star Lee Pearson has been suspended from competing over misconduct allegations
Pearson was knighted in 2017 for his services to equestrianism and disabled sport. (Getty)
Paralympian and “godfather of dressage” Sir Lee Pearson has been suspended by British Equestrian due to an ongoing investigation into possible misconduct.
According to The Athletic, Pearson will not be competing at the Paris Paralympics, which began earlier this week, as part of Team GB.
Pearson previously won 14 para-dressage gold medals across six Paralympic Games, competing in Sydney, Athens, Beijing, London, Rio, and Tokyo.
In a statement, British Equestrian told The Athletic: “British Equestrian and British Dressage are aware of concerns and allegations that have arisen around an individual within the dressage community.”
“In accordance with our own procedures, the matter is under active investigation and the individual is suspended from both organisations while that investigation takes place. No further comment will be made at this time.”
The suspension was in place prior to the Team GB para equestrian team selection earlier this year. It is unclear what “allegations” British Equestrian is currently investigating but The Guardian reported that it “is not connected in any way to equine welfare”.
Pearson is Britain’s third most successful Paralympian and was knighted in 2017 for his sporting achievements. He is also Britain’s first openly gay Paralympic champion and is a strong advocate for the rights of LGBTQ+ people and athletes.
He has not competed since March 2023 and therefore was not eligible to be selected for the Paris team, though he said this was a personal decision.
In a statement posted by Pearson on Facebook in July, he said he would not be seeking selection to the team for Paris after overcoming “traumatic hurdles” that have been “very tough” for him and his family.
“We have also been let down by numerous organisations whose safeguarding policies do nothing but protect their organisations and their jobs whilst causing so much pain and damage to people. I’m quite certain I will be aiming for the para championships over the next four years including the Los Angeles Paralympic Games 2028,” Pearson wrote.
It is unknown whether the “hurdles” Pearson referred to relate to the ongoing investigation.
ParalympicsGB said they would be open to Pearson returning to the team in the future: “Lee has publicly stated he did not seek to qualify for Paris 2024 for personal reasons. That is a matter for him and British Equestrian and in no way detracts from his past achievements or the possibility that he may seek to qualify for future Paralympic Games,” the team’s statement read.
ParalympicsGB named an all-female dressage team of Natasha Baker, Mari Durward-Akhurst, Sophie Wells, and Georgia Wilson for this year’s competition. The team will compete on Tuesday (September 3rd).
