As a retired gymnast who has been through my fair share of competitions and rulings, I can empathize with both Sabrina Chiles and Ana Barbosu. The Olympics is a stage where dreams are realized, but also where they can be shattered by the tiniest of rules.
Jordan Chiles is not holding back her disappointment.
Following the 23-year-old Olympic gymnast losing her floor routine bronze medal due to an obscure gymnastics regulation, she voiced her thoughts on the contentious ruling and garnered backing from spectators.
Jordan began a heartfelt message on social media August 15th, expressing her deep feelings of being touched by the abundance of love she’s received recently. She also wanted to thank her family, teammates, coaches, USAG, and USOPC for their continuous support during these challenging times, which she finds both moving and deeply appreciated.
At first, Jordan shared that she trusted the U.S.’s appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which overturned an initial investigation by her coach Cecile Landi because it was four seconds late, would be victorious. Unfortunately, this did not happen.
Jordan went on, “I’m at a loss for words. This decision seems unfair and it’s a heavy hit, not just for me, but for everyone who supported my endeavor.”
She also shared a note to her detractors.
She wrote, “Unfortunately, I’ve also experienced unexpected racial abuse on social media, which is both inhumane and deeply painful. I have invested my emotions deeply into this sport, and I feel a great sense of pride in representing my cultural background and country.”
And the UCLA student emphasized that—despite the disappointment—she has not given up on her sport.
“She emphasized her unwavering commitment to values such as fair competition, pursuit of quality, sportsmanship, and adherence to rules that ensure fairness. She’s always enjoyed supporting all teams and nations. Rediscovering joy has been a transformative experience for her, and she delights in witnessing others adopting this mindset. She feels that by doing so, she’s empowered everyone to be true to themselves.”
The Team USA gymnast who performed alongside Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera during the Paris 2024 Games wrapped up their experience by reflecting on the journey that lies ahead.
“She openly acknowledged that this is one of the toughest situations she’s faced in her career so far. She’s been through many tough times before, but she assured everyone that she would tackle this issue just as she has others. Her goal remains to ensure fairness prevails. She’s confident that those in charge will ultimately make the right decisions.”
Following the removal of Jordan’s medal, the title from the Aug. 5 individual floor competition was awarded to Ana Barbosu, who had originally won the bronze before Landi’s score was questioned. In response to the contentious decision, Ana Barbosu made a statement expressing support for herself, her teammate Sabrina Maneca-Voinea (whose appeal for a higher score was denied), and Jordan.
Ana expressed her sympathies to Sabrina and Jordan on Instagram, writing “My thoughts are with you both” on August 11th. She understands their feelings because she’s gone through similar experiences. However, she believes they will emerge stronger from this challenge. From the depths of her heart, she hopes that at the next Olympics, all three of them will stand together on the podium. This is her genuine dream!
Keep reading for a breakdown of the medal controversy.
One week post the triumphant victory of Team USA at the women’s artistic gymnastics team final during the 2024 Olympics, I, Jordan Chiles, embarked on my personal quest to secure my first individual Olympic medal at the women’s floor exercise final.
Following her performance, her coaches decided to contest the scoring of one of her leaps, known as a tour jeté full. According to NBC Olympics, this is referred to as an inquiry – a verbal challenge followed by a written submission before the end of the rotation. The gymnast’s final score must be posted before this can be done, and it needs to be done before the next gymnast starts their routine. If the gymnast is the last to compete, there is a one-minute time limit starting after her score is displayed on the scoreboard, as per the International Gymnastic Federation (FIG). The scoring inquiry was due to concerns about the execution of this leap in Chiles’ routine. During the broadcast, Olympian and NBC gymnastics analyst John Roethlisberger mentioned that in the team qualification and final, Chiles did not receive credit for this skill. Her coaches, Cecile and Laurent Landi, felt she had performed it better during the final, so they decided to submit an inquiry as they had nothing to lose. After reviewing Chiles’ routine, the judges accepted the inquiry and added 0.1 to her score, pushing it up to 13.766 for third place.
Consequently, Chile, overwhelmed with joy upon seeing the outcomes, secured a bronze medal. At the same time, Barbosu, who had previously been waving the Romanian flag to celebrate her own performance, unfortunately missed out on a spot on the podium.
Following her departure from Bercy Arena, where tears were flowing, Barbosu shared her thoughts on social media platforms. On Instagram, she posted, “Thanks to everyone for your supportive messages!” She then announced her intention to step away from social media for a while.
“Chiles described the incredible feeling she had when she discovered she won the bronze medal. On Good Morning America, she reminisced, ‘I was overwhelmed with a mix of emotions and thoughts when I found out about the medal. I couldn’t be prouder of myself, but Ana Barbosu is an exceptional athlete too – she has accomplished so much in gymnastics. So, I feel proud of myself, yet also proud of her.'”
In response to accusations of cheating on social media, coach Cecile Canqueteau-Landi defended the U.S. team’s actions regarding Jordan Chiles. She explained that despite Jordan having a maximum start value of 5.9 on floor exercises, she only received a 5.8 in qualifiers and team finals, which they accepted because not all elements were completed. During the floor finals, however, Canqueteau-Landi believed Chiles had performed better and decided to inquire about it since there was nothing to lose. She was surprised when her inquiry was accepted, resulting in Chiles winning the bronze medal. Canqueteau-Landi emphasized that she did not steal anything from anyone but simply fought for her athlete. While she felt sympathy for the Romanian athlete who missed out on a medal, she reminded critics that sports have rules and outcomes should be respected. Above all, she expressed pride in Chiles’ achievement as it was her first individual Olympic medal.
Nevertheless, not all individuals matched her enthusiasm, as the Romanian Gymnastics Federation lodged protests for Barbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea, who ended up in fourth place. The Romanian Gymnastics Federation argued that the investigation regarding Chiles was conducted past the one-minute deadline and contested a 0.1 deduction for execution error that Maneca-Voinea received. Additionally, Prime Minister of Romania, Marcel Ciolacu, declared on August 6th that he would not be attending the Olympics Closing Ceremony due to his belief that the two athletes were unfairly treated.
“Days ago, I found myself compelled to address the appalling racist remarks aimed at my beloved daughter, Simone Biles. On social media platforms, I’ve witnessed people who claim that such prejudice no longer exists. However, my daughter – a highly decorated Olympian, radiating an unparalleled sportsmanship and kindness – is being subjected to these vile comments. It’s disheartening and unacceptable.”
As a lifestyle expert, I’d rephrase the text like this:
USA gymnasts Biles, Suni Lee, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera voiced their solidarity with Chiles. On Instagram Stories, Carey stated, “It’s unfair to penalize the athlete for someone else’s blunder. You are always an Olympic champion, Jo, with a lot to be proud of.” At the same time, Romanian Prime Minister Ciolacu applauded Barbosu being reinstated in third place on Facebook, commenting, “Justice has been upheld.”
According to a statement made to NBC News, the International Olympic Committee announced that they will be giving Ana Barbosu from Romania the bronze medal in the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Floor Exercise Final. This decision was based on the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s ruling and the International Gymnastics Federation’s adjustment to the rankings. The IOC also stated that they are currently communicating with Romania’s National Olympic Committee about a ceremony to officially present the medal, as well as discussing the return of the bronze medal with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. In simpler terms, the IOC is saying that Ana Barbosu will be awarded the bronze medal in the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Floor Exercise Final, and they are working with the relevant parties to arrange for the presentation of the medal and the return of the one currently held by Chile.
After the event, Barbosu pondered over her decision. She wrote on Instagram Stories on August 11, “Sabrina, Jordan, my thoughts are with you.” She added, “I understand what you’re going through because I’ve been there too. But I believe you’ll bounce back stronger. From the bottom of my heart, I wish that at the next Olympics, all three of us will stand on the same podium. This is my deepest desire.” She further stated, “This situation should not have arisen if those in charge had adhered to the rules.” She concluded, “We athletes are not responsible for this; the hostility we’ve faced is distressing. I aim to conclude the Paris 2024 Olympics in the true spirit of Olympism, embodying the genuine values of the world.”
As a dedicated follower reporting, on Sunday, USA Gymnastics submitted a letter and video evidence to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, intending to prove that Head Coach Cecile Landi’s request to file an inquiry regarding Chiles was made within the required 1-minute deadline as stated by the FIG rule. Specifically, the gymnastics organization claims that Landi made her first request 47 seconds after the score was published, and a second request 55 seconds later at the inquiry table. The video evidence provided by USA Gymnastics shows this sequence of events, but it wasn’t available to them before the tribunal’s decision, so they couldn’t present it earlier. In the letter, USA Gymnastics asks for a revision of the CAS ruling and the reinstatement of Chiles’ bronze-medal score of 13.766.
After delivering the letter and video, USA Gymnastics announced that they had been informed by CAS that their rules do not permit a reevaluation of an arbitral award, even if compelling new evidence is brought forward. This decision left USAG greatly disheartened, but they vowed to persist in exploring all available channels and appeal options, such as the Swiss Federal Tribunal, to secure fair scoring, placement, and medal recognition for Jordan.
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2024-08-15 23:19