Jordan Chiles, a two-time U.S. Olympic gymnast, has been stripped of the bronze medal she won in the floor exercise at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
According to the Associated Press report, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) voided an on-floor appeal by Chiles' coach, Cecile Landi, which had initially vaulted Chiles to third place. CAS ruled that Landi's appeal came 4 seconds after the 1-minute time limit for scoring inquiries.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) announced it will appeal the decision, stating they have video evidence showing Landi made the appeal within the allotted time. The dispute sets the stage for a potentially lengthy legal battle over the gymnastics scores. As a result of the CAS decision, Ana Barbosu of Romania has been elevated to the bronze medal position, while the International Olympic Committee has requested the return of Chiles' medal.
The controversy stems from a disagreement over the timing of an on-floor appeal made by Chiles' coach, Cecile Landi. CAS ruled that Landi's inquiry to add 0.1 to Chiles' score came 4 seconds after the 1-minute deadline for scoring inquiries, resulting in the voiding of the appeal.
However, USA Gymnastics maintains that video evidence shows Landi first appealed 13 seconds before the deadline. The organization stated:
The time-stamped, video evidence submitted by USA Gymnastics Sunday evening shows Landi first stated her request to file an inquiry at the inquiry table 47 seconds after the score is posted, followed by a second statement 55 seconds after the score was originally posted.
The minute details of the dispute set the stage for a potentially lengthy legal battle over the gymnastics scores. The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have confirmed they will respect the CAS decision, elevating Romania's Ana Barbosu to the bronze medal position.
The USOPC has strongly opposed the decision, stating, "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."
The committee argues that the initial error occurred in the FIG's scoring, followed by a second error during the CAS appeal process, where the USOPC claims it was not given sufficient time or notice to effectively challenge the decision.
The exact process for the USOPC's appeal remains unclear, but potential avenues include Switzerland's highest court, the Swiss Tribunal, or the European Court of Human Rights.
The rapid unfolding of events has taken an emotional toll on the athletes involved. Romanian gymnastics legend Nadia Comaneci expressed concern for Barbosu's mental health, stating, "I can't believe we play with athletes mental health and emotions like this… let's protect them."
Chiles herself hinted at the decision's impact on her well-being, indicating she is heartbroken and stepping away from social media for her mental health. U.S. teammates, including star Simone Biles, have offered their support to Chiles during this challenging time.
Barbosu emphasized that she has no problem with Chiles personally:
I only want for everybody to be fair, we don't want to start picking on other athletes of any nationality. We as athletes don't deserve something like that, we only want to perform as best as we can and to be rewarded based on our performance. The problems lie with the judges, with their calculations and decisions.
The stripping of Jordan Chiles' Olympic bronze medal due to a scoring dispute has sent shockwaves through the gymnastics community. The USOPC is firmly appealing the CAS ruling, believing that critical errors occurred in both the initial scoring and the appeal process. As the legal battle potentially looms, the mental and emotional well-being of the athletes involved has come into sharp focus.
