This predicament is a direct result of a score review that was first rejected on Monday but was then reversed by the Tribunal Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The score that Jordan Chiles received for the floor exercise at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris was reversed by a review board, which means that she may be in risk of losing the bronze medal that she earned in the same event.
The Romanian team filed an appeal with the review board, arguing that the judges in Monday’s floor exercise should not have allowed the score review because Chiles’ coach requested it four seconds after the one-minute window had passed. On Saturday, the Tribunal Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reversed the score of the 23-year-old gymnast, bringing it back down from 13.766 to 13.666.
The CAS reached a decision that was in agreement with the Romanian side and decided that Chiles’ final score in the floor exercise shall be reset to the preliminary mark of 13.666. During the course of Monday, Chiles’ coach made a request for a review of the difficulty score, and the judges panel came to the conclusion that she was not given the appropriate credit for her talent routine. Her original score of 13.666 placed her in fifth place and removed her from the podium. However, the score review subsequently raised her to 13.766, which moved her into third place. This resulted in Romania’s Ana Bărbosu’s 13.700 score being removed from the podium, earning her the bronze medal. Simone Biles of Brazil won the silver medal, while Rebeca Andrade of Brazil won the gold.
yet, the CAS is able to resolve disagreements over Olympic regulations; yet, it is unable to compel the removal of medals. It would be up to the International Gymnastics Federation to determine whether or not to deprive Chile of the bronze medal and instead award it to Bărbosu.
After the verdict was handed down by the CAS, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the United States Gymnastics Federation issued a joint statement disapproving of the decision.
The decision that the Court of Arbitration for Sport made on women’s floor exercise has left us in utter disbelief or despair. Under the statement, it was said that the investigation into the Difficulty Value of Jordan Chiles’ floor exercise routine was submitted in good faith and, according to our understanding, in compliance with the standards of the FIG in order to guarantee accurate scoring. “Throughout the whole of the appeal process, Jordan has been the target of assaults on social media that are persistent, completely without foundation, and incredibly destructive. No athlete should ever be subjected to treatment of this kind. The assaults, as well as those who participate in, support, or encourage them, are condemned by us. We are proud of Jordan for the way she has conducted herself both on and off the competition floor, and we will continue to stand behind her and provide her with support.
Chiles also added three sorrow emoticons to her Instagram Story, which she shared with her followers. She added in a following Story, “I am taking this time and removing myself from social media for the sake of my mental health, thank you.”
Chiles, who is almost certainly going to be a part of the Olympic competition in Los Angeles in 2028, went on to win a gold medal as a member of Team USA, which achieved victory in the all-around competition.
