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U.S. Gymnastics Coach Posts Two-Word Reaction To Jordan Chiles' Heartbreaking Statement
By Angelo Guinhawa,
1 day ago
USA gymnastics coach Cecile Landi showed her support for Jordan Chiles, who recently broke her silence regarding the Olympic medal controversy she's involved in.
On Thursday, Chiles briefly ended her social media hiatus to share a statement about the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to strip her of the bronze medal she won in the floor exercise final of the 2024 Olympics.
Chiles called the decision "unjust," adding that it "comes as a significant blow, not just to me, but to everyone who has championed my journey."
"To add to the heartbreak, the unprompted racially driven attacks on social media are wrong and extremely hurtful," Chiles added.
"I've poured my heart and soul into this sport and I am so proud to represent my culture and my country."
After seeing Chiles' heartbreaking message, Landi took to her Instagram Stories to share the message and show love and support to the young gymnast. In the caption, Landi wrote, "Stay strong."
It's unknown if Jordan Chiles has already returned her bronze medal, but it's worth noting that Ana Barbosu--who was elevated to third following the ruling of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)-- received her medal in a ceremony in Bucharest on Friday.
To recap the issue, Chiles won bronze in the women's floor exercise at the 2024 Olympics. She initially placed fifth with a score of 13.666, but Cecile Landi challenged her execution score, allowing her to receive an extra 0.10 point.
As a result, Chiles' score increased to 13.766 and she moved up to third in the process. The American gymnast surpassed Barbosu and Sabrina Voinea, who both got 13.700. Barbosu was placed higher than Voinea due to a tie-breaker (higher difficulty score).
The Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, however, filed an appeal over the issue. The CAS then found out that Landi's challenge for Chiles' score came four seconds after the allotted one-minute deadline, thereby voiding the additional score of the USA gymnast.
As a result, the CAS ruled that the initial scores should be restored, with Barbosu third, Voinea fourth and Chiles at fifth. The International Gymnastics Federation then acted according to the ruling, giving Barbosu the third-place finish.
Later on, the IOC ruled that Barbosu should be given the bronze medal and demanded Chiles to return her medal.
Aug 5, 2024; Paris, France; Jordan Chiles of the United States poses for a photo with her gold and bronze medasl after day three of the gymnastics event finals during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
USA Gymnastics said it plans to bring the issue to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, as the said court can take appeals from rulings made by tribunals such as the CAS.
It remains to be seen what will happen to Jordan Chiles' fight, but she certainly has the full support of Cecile Landi and the rest of her team.
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