Jordan Chiles’ bronze medal in the floor exercise at the Paris Games will be reallocated to Ana Bărbosu of Romania, according to a statement by the International Olympic Committee on Sunday. This decision follows a court ruling that invalidated the correction to Chiles’ score that initially put her on the podium.
USA Gymnastics, however, stated that the basis for the court’s decision was incorrect, and they have submitted video evidence to support their claim.
This turn of events comes after a highly emotional moment during the Summer Olympics, which is now under thorough examination and review.
In the floor exercise final on Monday, Chiles originally received a score of 13.666, placing her in fifth place. Her coach, Cecile Landi, challenged this score, and the judges agreed, adjusting her score to 13.766. This change pushed Chiles ahead of Bărbosu and Maneca-Voinea, both from Romania. Chiles’ reaction to the new score was one of intense celebration, while Bărbosu, who believed she had won the bronze, was left in shock and tears.
Following this, the Romanian team filed a petition with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, claiming that the challenge from Landi was made after the allotted one-minute window. The court upheld this claim, invalidating Chiles’ score and reverting her to fifth place.
The IOC is coordinating with Romania’s Olympic committee for a medal reallocation ceremony for Bărbosu, and with the USOPC for the return of the bronze medal.
USA Gymnastics has presented video evidence showing that Landi’s inquiry was made within the designated time frame. Despite the ongoing dispute, Chiles has endured a turbulent week at the Olympics. After missing out on the all-around final due to a two-athlete per country limit, she played a pivotal role in securing a gold medal for the American team.
Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles celebrate their medals in the floor exercise final on Monday. A rules technicality is now forcing Chiles to surrender her bronze. (Naomi Baker / Getty Images)
Chiles and Biles shared a heartfelt moment during the floor exercise final, with Biles congratulating Chiles on what appeared to be her first individual medal. Chiles subsequently enjoyed the perks of an Olympic medalist, only to be faced with the challenging CAS ruling that emphasized the timing of the inquiry.
The disagreement between USA Gymnastics and CAS regarding the inquiry’s timing sheds light on the complexities of judged sports. The episode underscores the emotional rollercoaster tied to small decisions in such competitions.
CAS denied part of the Romanian appeal that aimed to increase Maneca-Voinea’s score due to an alleged out-of-bounds incident which video evidence contradicted. Additionally, the request to award all three competitors bronze medals was rejected.
Chiles hinted at her disappointment through social media, while Bărbosu expressed empathy towards her competitors in an interview with Golazo.ro.
