Jordan Chiles Controversy: There’s a lot in the gymnastics world, but the story of the 2024 Olympic women’s artistic floor gymnast who won a bronze medal has been more complicated than expected. In this article you will know the truth Behind Jordan Chiles’ Bronze Medal Controversy.
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Jordan Chiles’ Bronze Medal Controversy
U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles lost his first individual Olympic medal after being challenged by the Romanian gymnastics team in the final lap. Team USA’s appeal was denied Monday evening, but the battle for the bronze medal is far from over. The contest was tight — and it was always going to be a close one
The women’s floor exercise final was already shaping up to be a close one before Chiles made her final appearance on August 5. Romania’s Ana Barbosu and her teammate Sabrina Maneca-Voinea were tied with a score of 13.700.
Chiles’ chance of winning her first individual medal and making it onto the Olympic podium depended on a score of just a tenth of a second. The 23-year-old gymnast confidently performed her floor routine and all three athletes waited for the judges to announce their scores.
Chiles first received a score of 13.666, placing her in fifth place. But as the stadium erupted in celebration of Brazil’s Rebecca Andrade’s gold medal, USA Gymnastics coach Cecil Landi filed an objection to Chiles’ difficulty score.
Why did Romania challenge the score?
According to the rules of the International Gymnastics Federation, a coach can challenge the difficulty of a score provided they do so verbally immediately after the score is published. Due to Chiles’ last performance, her coaches had to race against time. The Romanian Gymnastics Federation and gymnasts Barbosu and Maneca-Voinea filed an official challenge against the revision of Chiles’ score at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). They argued that USA Gymnastics’ appeal was filed 4 seconds after the 1-minute time limit and that Chiles’ initial score of 13.666 should remain intact.
Chiles’ response
Following the decision, Chiles and her team were very disappointed. USA Gymnastics and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee said they had filed the appeal to ensure scoring was in accordance with FIG’s rules. Chiles posted four broken heart emojis on social media and announced she would be off social media for some time for mental health.
USA’s timely offer of filed evidence
A few hours later, USA Gymnastics claimed to have submitted new evidence to CAS, including timestamped video evidence. It showed that coach Landi had filed his objection 47 seconds after the score was posted. The team also argued that there were serious errors in the initial scoring and the CAS appeals process.
Final outcome of the appeal
CAS rejected USA Gymnastics’ appeal to allow Chiles to keep the bronze medal. CAS stated that once both parties are notified of the final decision, the case cannot be reopened at the CAS level. However, if new evidence emerges, the Swiss Federal Court may be requested to reopen the case.
What’s next
It’s still unclear how long this appeal will take to be resolved and whether Chiles has already returned the medal. While score revisions are not uncommon, Chiles’ case is unique.
Thus, the matter has become a major talking point in the world of gymnastics, with many twists and turns being witnessed. Follow us or subscribe us for latest sports news