American gymnast Jordan Chiles has been ordered to return her bronze medal from the floor exercise at the Paris 2024 Olympics after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) voided the inquiry that initially elevated her from fifth place to third. CAS determined that U.S. coach Cecile Landi’s appeal to adjust Chiles’ score was submitted beyond the permissible timeframe set by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). As a result, the initial standings are reinstated, with Romania’s Ana Barbosu being recognized as the bronze medalist.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) announced plans to appeal the ruling, citing critical errors in both the initial scoring by FIG and the CAS appeal process. They argue that the appeal was not given adequate time or notice for a proper challenge. USA Gymnastics has since provided video evidence suggesting that the inquiry request was submitted within the FIG’s 1-minute deadline, which was not available during the tribunal’s decision-making.
In light of the ruling, Chiles, who had previously celebrated her bronze medal win, expressed her heartbreak and announced a break from social media to focus on her mental health. Support from teammates and fans has been overwhelming, with prominent figures like Simone Biles and Sunisa Lee expressing their solidarity and frustration over the handling of the situation. Chiles, a gold medalist in the women’s team final, is set to return to UCLA for further competition.
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