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"This decision feels unjust" - Jordan Chiles pens emotional note as IOC strips her of Paris Olympics bronze medal
Jordan Chiles was stripped of her Olympic bronze medal in the women’s floor exercise as the International Olympic Committee ruled in favor of awarding it to Romania’s Ana Barbosu. Chiles has now released a statement addressing the series of events.
Competing in the floor exercise, Jordan Chiles had initially finished fifth but was upgraded to third place following an appeal from her coaches, who wanted the judges to check the deductions they made on her score. Following the appeal, Chiles’ score was increased by one-tenth of a point.
However, the Romanian Gymnastics Federation filed an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and the ruling was made in favor of Barbosu, the Romanian who had initially finished third before the change was made.
In a lengthy post on her Instagram, Jordan Chiles pointed out that the ruling was unfair and the decision hurt her feelings.
"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. To add to the heartbreak, the unprompted racially driven attacks on social media are wrong and extremely hurtful. I’ve poured my heart and soul into this sport and I am so proud to represent culture and my country," Chiles said.
The 23-year-old extended a hand of gratitude to her family, teammates, and extended support system for helping her during this difficult time. Chiles added that she was sure of winning the appeal since there was enough evidence, but things did not go as planned.
However, she insists on continuing to compete with integrity and the determination to succeed. She also said that she would continue upholding the virtue of sportsmanship.
"I am overwhelmed by the love I have received over the past few days. I am also incredibly grateful to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, USAG, and the USOPC for their unwavering support during this difficult time. While celebrating my Olympic accomplishments, I heard the devastating news that my bronze medal had been stripped away," Chiles continued.
"I had confidence in the appeal brought by USAG, who gave conclusive evidence that my score followed all the rules. This appeal was unsuccessful. I am now confronted with one of the most challenging moments of my career. Believe me when I say I’ve had many. I will approach this challenge as I have others - and will make every effort to make sure that justice is done. I believe that at the end of this journey, the people in control will do the right thing," she added.
Reason why Jordan Chiles was stripped of Olympic bronze medal
Jordan Chiles seemingly finished fifth in the women’s floor exercise with Ana Barbosu coming in third place. The Romanian gymnast had already started celebrating her podium finish.
U.S. head coach Cecile Landi then filed an appeal to have the results checked again. This led to Jordan Chiles earning 0.1 points to propel her to third place.
However, Romania appealed the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), claiming that the U.S. did not inquire within the one minute time limit, breaching the rules of the International Gymnastics Federation.
The CAS made their decision known on Saturday, August 11, ruling in favour of the Romanian gymnast, who will now be awarded the bronze medal.
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