PARIS — U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles has been instructed to return her bronze medal in the floor exercise, following a decision from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Sunday. The ruling was based on the finding that a coach’s appeal that allowed her to medal should not have been permitted.
Chiles, who is 23, initially placed fifth in the event before U.S. coach Cecile Landi successfully argued that her difficulty score was undervalued. Officials agreed and adjusted her score by 0.1 points, raising it to 13.766, which placed her ahead of two Romanian competitors, causing a significant backlash from the Romanian team.
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu expressed his discontent by announcing that he would skip the closing ceremony in protest of the decision.
The IOC confirmed that it would comply with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which ruled that Landi’s protest was filed 64 seconds after the scores were released, exceeding the one-minute time limit allowed for such actions.
Chiles faced an unfortunate situation as she was the final competitor in the floor exercise final, leaving her with only one minute to request a review of her score. In contrast, athletes who competed before her had three to four minutes to file inquiries, as they could do so until the next gymnast began their routine.
Her appeal focused on a specific skill in her routine called the Gogean, which is a split leap with a 1.5-turn, which the judges initially did not recognize.
The CAS ruling only addressed the timing of the appeal and did not challenge the validity of the inquiry itself. Consequently, 18-year-old Romanian gymnast Ana Bărbosu will now be awarded the bronze medal in the floor exercise.
In a statement, the IOC announced, “Following the CAS decision regarding the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Floor Exercise Final and the adjustment of the ranking by the International Gymnastics Federation, the IOC will reallocate the bronze medal to Ana Bărbosu (Romania). We are coordinating with the National Olympic Committee of Romania regarding the reallocation ceremony and with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee about the return of the bronze medal.”
The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee responded a few hours later, stating that it will appeal the decision. “We firmly believe that Jordan rightfully earned the bronze medal, and there were critical errors in both the initial scoring by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and the subsequent CAS appeal process that need to be addressed,” they said.
The committee reiterated its commitment to supporting Chiles, stating, “We remain dedicated to supporting her as an Olympic champion and will continue to work diligently to resolve this matter swiftly and fairly.”
USA Gymnastics countered that Landi filed the inquiry within the permitted timeframe of 47 seconds. They announced that they have submitted time-stamped video evidence to support their claim.
In a show of sportsmanship, Bărbosu conveyed her support for both Chiles and fourth-place finisher Sabrina Maneca-Voinea, stating, “Sabrina, Jordan, my thoughts are with you. I know what you are feeling because I’ve been through the same. But I know you’ll come back stronger.”
Bărbosu expressed hope for future competitions, stating, “I hope from the bottom of my heart that at the next Olympics, all three of us will share the same podium.”
It is still uncertain how Chiles will return the medal, as she has already departed from France and made an appearance on NBC’s “TODAY” show in New York City.
Chiles retains a gold medal from the women’s team all-around and a silver medal from the Tokyo Olympics in the team all-around.
USA Gymnastics expressed devastation over the CAS ruling, emphasizing that the inquiry made on behalf of Chiles was conducted in good faith and believed to comply with FIG rules for ensuring accurate scoring.
The organization condemned the negative social media backlash Chiles has faced since the situation unfolded. “No athlete should be subject to such treatment,” they stated, praising Chiles for her integrity both in and out of competition.
Chiles herself posted a message on Instagram, sharing her distress with four broken-heart emojis and announcing her intention to step back from social media for her mental health. “I am taking the time and removing myself from social media for my mental health thank you,” she wrote.