The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ruled that American gymnast Jordan Chiles may have to return her Olympic bronze medal in the floor exercise event from the 2024 Paris Olympics. The decision came after an appeal by the Romanian team, arguing that the U.S. team’s inquiry to increase Chiles’ score was submitted four seconds after the one-minute window allowed by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).As a result of the CAS ruling, Chiles’ original score of 13.666 will be reinstated, potentially dropping her from third to fifth place. Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu is now in line to receive the bronze medal, with her teammate Sabrina Maneca-Voinea moving up to fourth place.The controversy has sparked intense reactions from various parties. USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee released a joint statement expressing their devastation at the ruling, stating that the inquiry was filed in good faith and in accordance with FIG rules. They also condemned the ‘baseless and hurtful’ attacks on Chiles on social media.Chiles herself has hinted at the decision on her Instagram, stating that she is heartbroken and taking a break from social media for her mental health. The incident has raised concerns about the impact on athletes’ mental well-being, with Romanian gymnastics legend Nadia Comaneci expressing outrage, saying, ‘I can’t believe we’re playing with the mental health and emotions of these athletes like this. We need to protect them’.The final decision on medal allocation now rests with the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), which will determine the final ranking and award medals in accordance with the CAS decision. This ruling does not affect the gold and silver medalists, Rebeca Andrade of Brazil and Simone Biles of the United States, respectively.
Key points
- The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that Jordan Chiles’ score inquiry in the Olympic floor exercise was invalid, potentially stripping her of the bronze medal.
- Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu is now in line to receive the bronze medal, pending final decision by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).
- The controversy has sparked debates about athletes’ mental health and the fairness of the appeal process in international gymnastics.
Contradictions👾There are slight discrepancies in the reported timing of the U.
S.
team’s inquiry, with some sources stating it was four seconds late, while others mention it was one second late.
