Nayel Nassar, an Egyptian equestrian, has been forced to withdraw from the ongoing Paris Olympics after his horse sustained an injury, the Egyptian Equestrian Federation announced on Saturday 3 August.
The news came days before Nassar was set to compete in the Jumping Individual Men event on Monday 5 August.
In a statement, the federation revealed that Nassar’s horse, Coronado, “picked up an injury in the right foot on Friday” despite passing the initial horse inspection on 31 July.
Following medical scans, the veterinarians determined that the horse would not be able to participate in the events, as the Olympic regulations do not allow for a horse replacement after the first inspection.
Nassar, 33, had been preparing for his second Olympic appearance after finishing 24th in the Jumping Individual Men final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The equestrian, who has a decorated career with numerous accolades, was poised to represent Egypt once again in the prestigious event.
The withdrawal is a blow for the Egyptian equestrian team, as he was the sixth rider to pull out of the Paris Olympics.
Nassar’s wife, Jennifer Gates, expressed her heartbreak on Instagram, stating that she is “just as proud as ever” of her husband despite the setback.
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