Simone Biles wants justice for Jordan Chiles after IOC’s 'unfortunate' ruling

It’s been nearly two weeks since a trio of organizations deliberated and ultimately decided to strip USA gymnast Jordan Chiles of her Olympic bronze medal.

While the decision was out of Chiles, USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s hands, that hasn’t stopped many from speaking out on Chiles’ behalf, including her Olympic teammate and 11-time medalist Simone Biles, who recently told People.com that Chiles shouldn’t have to suffer because others got it wrong.

“It’s an unfortunate circumstance because something like this has never happened before and it’s truly a shame,” Biles said . “But we wish all three girls could get the medal and unfortunately in gymnastics that’s not the case. Do we think they did the correct procedures to come to this ruling? No. That’s really why we want that justice for Jordan and why we’re going to keep supporting her and uplifting her.”

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that Chiles’ score inquiry in Paris during the floor exercise had come four seconds too late, essentially nullifying the score that moved her from fifth to third place.

The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) acknowledged it stood by the CAS ruling, as did the International Olympic Committee, which ruled Chiles had to return the medal so it could be awarded to Romanian Ana Barbosu.

During the appeal process, USA Gymnastics claimed to have video evidence that Chiles’ score inquiry was done 47 seconds after her score was announced and not 1:04 as the CAS had ruled, but the organization cited its own rules that it could not re-review a case it had already ruled on.

USAG and the USOPC are currently appealing the matter to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, which has the power to overrule any CAS decision.