Former USA Gymnastics Star Plays Blame Game in Jordan Chiles Controversy

Former USA gymnast Laurie Hernandez knows exactly who's to blame for the Olympic medal controversy involving Jordan Chiles, and it's neither the athlete nor her coach. In fact, it's not even the judges.

In an interview with E! Online, Hernandez opened up about the scandal that saw Chiles stripped of the bronze medal she got from the floor exercise final of the 2024 Olympics. According to the ex-Olympian-turned-commentator, it wouldn't have happened had the person who approved USA Gymnastics' inquiry followed the rules.

“It's whoever had approved the inquiry, if they knew it was late," Hernandez, who won gold and silver in the 201 Olympics, said when asked who's at fault in the issue.

"It's in those hands. I really respect that the rules are the rules, but the athlete has to come into consideration. My heart breaks for both athletes, knowing that this is happening in the public eye."

Jordan Chiles initially placed fifth in the event with a score of 13.666, but after her coach, Cecile Landi, made an inquiry about her difficulty score, the judges agreed to give the American star an extra 0.10 point. As a result, she was elevated to third place, surpassing Romania's Ana Barbosu (13.700).

However, after the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Chiles' extra point was voided. The CAS found out that Landi's challenge was made four seconds late from the one-minute deadline.

The International Gymnastics Federation followed the ruling from the CAS and restored the initial standing, with Chiles fifth and Barbosu third . The International Olympic Committee then ordered Chiles to return her bronze medal.

USA Gymnastics is still appealing the ruling, taking the case to the Swiss Federal Tribunal. It's the highest court in Switzerland, which can take appeals on rulings made by tribunals such as the CAS.

As Laurie Hernandez argued, however, if Chiles and USA's challenge were really made late, why was it approved in the first place? Sure enough, all parties involved would have been saved from all the trouble and heartbreaks they have endured so far.

Related: Jordan Chiles Finally Breaks Social Media Silence, Confirms Her Gymnastics Future