Jordan Chiles, the US Olympian who was stripped of her bronze medal in gymnastics earlier this week, says she is facing the toughest moment of her career.
"I have no words," Chiles wrote on Instagram on Aug. 15 , the first public statement Chiles has made following the controversy. "This decision feels unjust and comes as a significant blow, not just to me, but to everyone who has championed my journey."
Chiles — who was born in Tualatin and raised in Vancouver, Washington — represented the US at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She secured a gold-medal in women's gymnastics during the team event and went on to win a bronze medal in the individual competition for floor exercise.
That third-place finish, however, has been the subject of international scrutiny, after the International Olympic Committee stripped Chiles of her medal, not because of anything she had done, but, they said, because of procedural errors on the part of Chiles' coaches.
What happened?
During the final competition for the floor exercise on Aug. 5, Chiles initially placed fifth, putting her out of medal contention. Chiles' coach, Cécile Canqueteau-Landi, appealed that ranking, arguing that the difficulty of Chiles' routine had not been factored properly into Chiles' final score. Score inquiries are not uncommon within gymnastics and, upon review, Chiles' score was adjusted, moving her from fifth place to third, bumping two Romanian gymnasts into fourth and fifth place. Chiles was awarded the bronze medal.
The Romanian Gymnastics Federation, however, appealed this final score to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, claiming that Chiles' coach had filed the appeal outside of the allotted time window allowed in competition. Canqueteau-Landi had only 60 seconds to appeal the score, and the Romanian delegation claimed the appeal was made four seconds too late.
The Court agreed, and the International Gymnastics Federation reinstated Chiles' original fifth place score. Romanian gymnasts Ana Bărbosu and Sabrina Voinea took third and fourth place, respectively.
On Aug. 11, USA Gymnastics appealed that decision, saying it had video evidence that Chiles' coach had not acted improperly, and had, in fact, appealed Chiles' score within the allotted window. The Court of Arbitration declined to reconsider its ruling.
"We are deeply disappointed by the notification and will continue to pursue every possible avenue and appeal process, including to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, to ensure the just scoring, placement, and medal award for Jordan," USA Gymnastics said in a statement , on Monday, Aug. 12.
It was also reported that the head of the panel which oversaw the Romanian appeal for the Court of Arbitration has represented the Romanian government in legal disputes for years, citing concerns of a potential conflict of interest. The Court has denied allegations of wrongdoing.
On Thursday, Chiles said she's not done fighting.
"I am now confronted with one of the most challenging moments of my career. Believe me when I say I have had many. 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."
That's not the only hurdle Chiles has faced since returning from Paris. Chiles, whose father is Black and mother is Latina, said she has received racist messages and harassment online. Chiles has been open in the past about combating racism in the predominantly white sport.
"To add to the heartbreak," she wrote, "the unprompted racially driven attacks on social media are wrong and extremely hurtful. I've poured my heart and soul into this sport and am so proud to represent my culture and my country."
Most Popular
Comments / 0