Jordan Chiles expresses disappointment over 'unjust' revoking of Olympics bronze medal

PARIS, FRANCE: Jordan Chiles expressed deep heartbreak over the decision to strip her of the bronze medal from the 2024 Paris Olympics floor exercise, describing the ruling as "unjust."

Despite the setback, Chiles vowed to continue her fight for justice while calling out "extremely hurtful" racist attacks on social media.

Chiles’ medal was initially awarded following an appeal by her coach, which was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Why was Jordan Chiles stripped of Olympic bronze medal?

During the women’s floor exercise final on August 5, Jordan Chiles originally earned a score of 13.666, placing her fifth, just behind Romania’s Sabrina Maneca-Voinea and Amalia Barbosu, who both had scores of 13.700.However, a tiebreaker gave Barbosu the bronze medal due to her higher execution score. In response, USA Gymnastics coach Cecile Canqueteau-Landi filed an on-floor appeal, arguing that Chiles’ score was incorrect due to the routine’s level of difficulty.

After reviewing the appeal, the judges adjusted Chiles’ score by 0.1, elevating her to third place over Barbosu.

The decision led the Romanian team to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), citing that Team USA’s original appeal was filed outside the one-minute time limit to question the judges’ scores as per CBS.

CAS ruled in favor of the Romanian appeal, noting that the appeal from Team USA occurred one minute and four seconds after Chiles’ score was posted. As a result, the FIG restored the original scores which the IOC confirmed on Sunday, August 11, effectively stripping Chiles of the bronze medal.

Jordan Chiles takes social media to express disappointment over Olympic medal ruling

USA Gymnastics officials said on Monday that the CAS won't reconsider its decision but is continuing efforts to let Jordan Chiles keep the medal, as per ESPN.

Following the ruling, Chiles took to social media to share her feelings about the decision. In her post, she expressed deep disappointment and addressed the broader impact of the ruling on her and her supporters.

"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," Chiles wrote in a lengthy Instagram post.

She also spoke about the hurt caused by racially driven attacks she faced online after the decision was announced.

"To add to the heartbreak, the unprompted racially driven attacks on social media are wrong and extremely hurtful," Chiles added.

Jordan Chiles vows to continue her fight for justice

Despite the decision, Jordan Chiles indicated that she is not ready to give up the fight for what she believes is right. She expressed her commitment to fairness and integrity in sports, saying that she will continue to strive for justice.

“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,” Chiles wrote.

“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.

Reflecting on the challenges she has faced throughout her career, the gymnast acknowledged the difficulty of the current situation but expressed her determination to overcome it.

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

Chiles ended her statement by reaffirming her commitment to seeking justice.

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