In a sad turn of events for Team USA’s Jordan Chiles, the iconic gymnast, will not have her Paris 2024 Olympic Games bronze restored.
Over the last week, USA’s Olympic gymnastics team were stuck in limbo over Chiles’ bronze medal which she copped in the Women’s Floor Exercise final.
You see, due to a ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Chiles’ final score for the event was made invalid.
As a result, the US athlete has been dropped to fifth place rather than third, making way for Romania’s Ana Bărbosu.
However, In a small slither of hope for Chiles’ medal, the USA Gymnastics attempted to challenge the decision by submitting “video evidence” that could overturn the initial ruling.
Unfortunately, USA Gymnastics has shared that the appeal for the gymnast has been turned down by CAS.
“USA Gymnastics was notified by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday that their rules do not allow for an arbitral award to be reconsidered even when conclusive new evidence is presented,” it shared in a statement on Instagram.
“We are deeply disappointed by the notification and will continue to pursue every possible avenue and appeal process, including to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, to ensure the scoring, placement and medal award for Jordan.”
Fans demand for USA Gymnastics to release the “video evidence”
Following the statement, fans of the US Gymnastics team have demanded the organisation release the footage they sent in the appeal for Chiles’ bronze medal.
“Don’t be shy, release the tape publicly on them! Cause more outrage,” one fan wrote.
“Don’t let them out-Karen us. Litigation is our sport too,” another person commented.
“DON’T STOP UNTIL JORDAN GETS JUSTICE!! Don’t give that medal back Jordan, it’s yours!!” wrote a third.
Why did Jordan Chiles lose her bronze medal?
Chiles’ bronze medal for the Women’s Floor Exercise Final was revoked after a CAS ruled her final score was invalid.
At the time of the Paris 2024 event, Team USA coach Cécile Canqueteau-Landi submitted an appeal to the judging panel, asking for 0.1 to be added to Chiles’ original score.
The appeal was successfully passed, catapulting the US Olympian from fifth to third place, ultimately knocking Bărbosu from the podium.
On Saturday, CAS ruled that Landi’s appeal shouldn’t have passed, claiming the coach challenged the score seconds after the one-minute window where submissions were allowed.
Following the ruling, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) said that the original scores — where Chiles was fifth and Bărbosu was in third — had been reinstated.
Soon after, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed that Chiles would need to return to her bronze, which would then be rewarded to the Romanian Olympian.
“The IOC will reallocate the bronze medal to Ana Barbosu (Romania). We are in touch with the NOC of Romania to discuss the reallocation ceremony and with USOPC regarding the return of the bronze medal,” the IOC shared.
Chiles has yet to share a statement regarding the recent development. However, the athlete took to social media after the CAS ruling, stating that she would be stepping away from the internet.
“I am taking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health thank you,” Chiles wrote.
I hope Bărbosu pulls a Mean Girls and just breaks the medal to share with Chiles.
Image source: Getty Images / Xinhua News Agency and Chicago Tribune
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