Jordan Chiles Says Decision to Strip Her Olympic Bronze Medal 'Feels Unjust'

Jordan Chiles has broken her silence following the decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to strip her of the Olympic bronze medal in the floor routine, saying the ruling “feels unjust.”

The CAS ruled in favor of Romanian gymnasts Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea, who finished fourth and fifth behind Chiles after Chiles’ score was changed to properly reflect the difficulty level of her floor routine at the Paris Olympics. The Romanian National Olympic Committee argued that Chiles’ coach Cecile Landi hadn’t submitted the inquiry that resulted in Chiles’ score change in time.

“I am overwhelmed by the love I have received over the past few days,” Chiles began her statement on Instagram on Thursday.

“I am also incredibly grateful to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, USAG, and the USOPC for their unwavering support during this difficult time. While celebrating my Olympic accomplishments, I heard the devastating news that my bronze medal had been stripped away. I had confidence in the appeal brought by [USA Gymnastics], who gave conclusive evidence that my score followed all the rules. This appeal was unsuccessful,” she wrote.

“I have no words. This decision feels unjust and 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. I’ve poured my heart and soul into this sport and I am so proud to represent my culture and my country,” she wrote.

“I will never waver from my values of competing with integrity, striving for excellence, upholding the values of sportsmanship and the rules that dictate fairness. I have taken pride in cheering on everyone regardless of team or country. Finding joy again has been a culture shift and I love seeing others embrace it. I feel like I have given everyone permission to be authentic to who they are,” she wrote.

“I am now confronted with one of the most challenging moments of my career. Believe me when I say I have had many,” she wrote.

“I will approach this challenge as I have others — and will make every effort to ensure that justice is done. I believe that at the end of this journey, the people in control will do the right thing,” she concluded.

—TMX contributed to this post