U.S. Olympic officials announced their intention to challenge a court decision that requires American gymnast Jordan Chiles to return the bronze medal she secured in the floor exercise at the Paris Olympics. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) invalidated an appeal made by Chiles’ coach, which had initially moved her up to a third-place finish, due to the appeal being submitted four seconds beyond the one-minute limit permitted for scoring inquiries.
The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) stated that it would comply with the court’s ruling and name Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu as the rightful bronze medalist. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed this decision, indicating that it would oversee the return of Chiles’ medal and coordinate a ceremony to honor Barbosu.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) expressed confidence that Chiles deserved the bronze and highlighted significant errors in both the FIG’s original scoring and the subsequent CAS appeal process. They asserted that coach Cecile Landi’s attempt to have 0.1 added to Chiles’ score exceeded the one-minute timeframe established by the FIG, as it was made one minute and four seconds after Chiles’ score was announced.
The USOPC’s statement pointed out that the CAS ruling should reinstate the original finishing order, placing Barbosu third and Chiles fifth. It remains to be seen whether the USOPC will appeal to Switzerland’s highest court or the European Court of Human Rights.
The ruling has sparked concern about the impact on the mental health of all three gymnasts involved, particularly Barbosu, whose experience has been heavily criticized by gymnastics legend Nadia Comaneci. She urged for better protection of athletes’ emotional well-being following these developments.
Chiles took to social media to express her heartbreak over the decision and announced that she would be stepping away from online platforms for her mental health. Her sister defended her, underscoring that Chiles lost the medal due to judging errors rather than a lack of talent.
Support for Chiles poured in from teammates, with Simone Biles and Sunisa Lee expressing their disappointment and solidarity. USA Gymnastics also voiced its devastation over the ruling, stating that their inquiry was conducted in good faith in accordance with FIG rules.
Both Barbosu and Maneca-Voinea had previously finished with identical scores of 13.700, with Barbosu initially believing she clinched bronze based on a better execution score before the final results were altered.
Chiles, who finished fifth after a preceding inquiry led to her initial downgrade, was celebrated by her peers during the medal presentation for her exceptional sportsmanship.
As the situation unfolds, it adds a layer of complexity to what was meant to be a triumphant moment at the Olympics.