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US gymnast Jordan Chiles must return the bronze medal she won in the floor exercise after a court ruling decided her score had been improperly judged.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) voided an appeal made by Team USA coach Cecile Landi during the competition that saw Chiles’ score increase by 0.1 and moving her from fifth to third securing her a bronze medal.
The CAS ruling on Saturday said that that the on floor appeal by Landi came outside the 1-minute window allowed by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). The committee wrote that the enquiry came 1 minute 4 seconds after the score was posted meaning it did not meet the desired criteria for an appeal.
CAS ruled that the initial finishing order should be restored with Romania’s Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea finishing third and fourth respectively with Chiles back down to fifth.
They left the final ranking decision to the FIG who determined it was up to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to decide on potentially reallocating the bronze medal.
On Sunday the IOC confirmed the decision to strip Chiles of the medal and give it to Barbosu who was in third place before Chiles’ score was upgraded.
In a statement, the IOC said: “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.”
Chiles took to Instagram on Saturday following the CAS ruling saying she is “taking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health, thank you.”
USA Gymnastics released a statement saying it was devastated by the ruling. The wrote: “The inquiry into the Difficulty Value of Jordan Chiles’ floor exercise routine was filed in good faith and, we believed, in accordance with FIG rules to ensure accurate scoring.”
Meanwhile, Chiles’ gymnastics teammate Simone Biles added: “Sending you so much love Jordan. Keep your chin up ‘Olympic champ’ we love you.”
Conclusion
It’s always disheartening when an athlete’s hard-earned medal is taken away due to technicalities, as in the case of Jordan Chiles. The world of competitive sports can be unforgiving, but it’s important to remember that what truly matters is the effort and dedication each athlete puts into their craft.
While the decision to strip Chiles of her bronze medal may seem harsh, it serves as a reminder of the importance of following the rules and regulations set forth by governing bodies in sports. It also highlights the competitive nature of gymnastics and the fierce drive to succeed at the highest level.
As fans and supporters of gymnastics, we stand by Jordan Chiles and commend her for her hard work and sportsmanship throughout her career. We hope that she continues to excel in her future endeavors and that this setback only fuels her determination to achieve even greater success.
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