Aly Raisman 'gutted' for Jordan Chiles after gymnast stripped of bronze medal at 2024 Paris Olympics

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: Retired artistic gymnast Aly Raisman expressed her support for US gymnast Jordan Chiles, who was stripped of her bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Games.

Appearing on 'Today' on Monday, August 12, the 6-time Olympic medalist weighed in on the controversy and voiced how it would impact 23-year-old Chiles.

"This is just so heartbreaking, and I'm just so gutted for Jordan. I can't even imagine what this past week has been like for Jordan and the other athletes involved," she told hosts Hoda Kotb, Savannah Guthrie, and Craig Melvin, People reported.

Aly Raisman feels Jordan Chiles shouldn't have returned her bronze medal

During the women's gymnastics individual floor exercise final on August 5, Jordan Chiles, who was part of the gold medal-winning team in Paris, was placed fifth with a score of 13.666 behind Romania's Ana Barbosa and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea.

Team USA's coach, Cecile Landi, demanded an inquiry that increased her score to 13.766, leading to her first individual Olympic medal. However, on August 10, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld the Romanian gymnasts' protest, ruling that coach Landi's initial challenge was submitted four seconds too late. Barbosu is set to get the bronze medal.

Deeming the decision that stripped Chiles's first individual Olympic medal as "unfair" and "cruel," Raisman added that the gymnast should not have given back the medal.

"The IOC has given more than one medal before, and I think that they should do that now," she continued, labeling the dispute "devastating" and "awful."

The US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) would appeal the decision, asserting they have video evidence that Landi submitted the score challenge on time.

Aly Raisman argues athletes shouldn't be penalized for judging panel's mistake

"It's unfair; I just can't even believe that we're in this situation," Aly Raisman said on 'Today', noting that the athletes shouldn't be penalized for the mistake of judging panel.

The 30-year-old had been through a similar situation during the 2012 London Olympics when she came forth in the balance beam finals. She was bumped up for the bronze medal after her coaches challenged the score.

"As an athlete, we trust the process. We trust that the rules are in place, that there's been a lot of thought behind it, and that the rules are there to be fair. Going forward, we need to understand how this is happening and how to ensure this doesn't happen again," Raisman, who has advocated for gymnasts' mental health, pointed out.

"I think that the organizations that are in charge of this need to really look at the athletes' mental health and how much this is affecting them and how cruel it is to take a medal away from someone," she continued, labeling Chiles' medal controversy "unfathomable."

The retired gymnast said she spoke to Chiles but did not reveal the content of their conversation.

Calling Chiles an "incredible person", she said, "I just feel for her. My heart's going out to her; I support her fully."