American gymnast Jordan Chiles expressed her disappointment and called the decision by an arbitration panel to return her bronze medal from the floor exercise at the Paris Olympics as “unjust” and a “significant blow.” The International Olympic Committee announced that the bronze medal would be reallocated to Ana Barbosu of Romania following the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s ruling.
Chiles believed she had secured the bronze medal after judges revised her score upon an appeal by Team USA coach Cecile Landi. However, Romania contested to the CAS that Landi’s appeal exceeded the one-minute time limit after Chiles’ score was posted. Consequently, the panel decided that the bronze should be awarded to Barbosu.
In an Instagram post, Chiles expressed her disbelief, stating, “This decision feels unjust and comes as a significant blow, not just to me, but to everyone who has championed my journey.” She also addressed the racial attacks she faced on social media, emphasizing the hurt it caused and her pride in representing her culture and country through gymnastics.
USA Gymnastics is advocating for Chiles to retain the bronze medal, disputing Romania’s assertion that Landi’s appeal occurred too late. The governing body submitted video evidence to CAS demonstrating that Landi had appealed 13 seconds before the deadline, contrary to the 4-second claim made by Romania.
Chiles acknowledged the challenging moment in her career and vowed to strive for justice, stating, “I will approach the challenge as I have others — and will make every effort to ensure that justice is done.” She expressed confidence that the appropriate actions would be taken by those in control by the end of the ordeal.