USA Gymnastics supporters are on edge after the U.S. Olympic committee took back the bronze medal gymnast Jordan Chiles received in the floor individual finals. Here’s the drama:
The situation began right after Jordan Chiles performed her floor routine Aug. 5. She received a score of 13.666 which put her in fifth place right behind Romanian gymnasts Ana Barbosu in third and Sabrina Voinea in fourth. Barbosu and Voinea both earned a score of 13.700, but Barbosu took the bronze spot due to her execution score being higher than Voinea’s execution score.
However, the Team USA head coach, Cecile Landi, saw there was a discrepancy in Chiles’ tally: her difficulty score should have been higher for the skills she performed. Landi then went to file an inquiry.
The judges accepted the inquiry and awarded Chiles one tenth of a point, putting her above both Romanian gymnasts, who had already begun to celebrate. Barbosu stepped down and Chiles took the podium behind Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade with gold and USA’s Simone Biles with silver. This was historic as it was the first all-black gymnastics podium. Biles and Chiles demonstrated their sportsmanship by bowing down to Andrade as the Brazilian stepped up to claim her gold medal.
However, the Romanian Gymnastics Federation was discontent with the medal being stripped from Barbosu and therefore requested that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) review the process concerning Landi’s appeal of Chiles’ score. According to International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) guidelines, coaches must submit any score appeal within one minute of the score being posted. CAS determined that Landi officially filed her appeal in one minute and four seconds, slightly missing the deadline.
As a result, CAS ruled in favor of the appeal, deciding that Chiles’ score should be adjusted back down to 13.666, and the original final standings should be reinstated.
Chiles took to Instagram, posting three broken heart emojis and saying she would be taking a hiatus from social media. Her USA Gymnastics teammates showed their support for her on social media:
Jade Carey: “Don’t punish the athlete for someone else’s mistake,”
Simone Biles: “Sending you so much love, Jordan. Keep your chin up Olympic champ! We love you!”
Sunisa Lee: “All this talk about the athlete, what about the judges?? Completely unacceptable. This is awful and I’m gutted for Jordan. I got your back forever Jo…U have all my flowers and you will ALWAYS be an Olympic champion.”
USA Gymnastics also posted that they are “devastated” by the ruling and that they continue to “stand by and support” Chiles.
The latest news is that Dr. Hamid Gharavi, panelist for the Court of Arbitration for Sports that was working on Chile’s’ review, ruled in favor of Chiles giving up the bronze to Barbosu.
USA Gymnastics posted a graphic in celebration of Jordan Chiles’ Olympic bronze for her floor routine. As Chiles navigates through this difficult time, USA Gymnastics made it clear they are with and supporting her. (Graphic/USA Gymnastics)
