Team USA Says ‘Video Evidence’ Proves Gymnast Jordan Chiles Should Keep Her Olympic Bronze Medal
Team USA believes they have solid ‘video evidence’ to support gymnast Jordan Chiles keeping her Olympic bronze medal amidst a recent controversy at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
‘USA Gymnastics on Sunday officially submitted a letter and video evidence to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), conclusively establishing that Head Coach Cecile Landi’s request to file an inquiry was made 47 seconds after the score was published, within the 1-minute deadline required by FIG rule,’ read a statement from USA Gymnastics on Sunday, August 11.
The statement also mentioned that USA Gymnastics requested the CAS ruling be ‘revised’ and Chiles’ score of 13.766 be reinstated.
‘The basis for the CAS ruling on Friday denying the inquiry was that ‘The inquiry submitted on behalf of Ms. Jordan Chiles in the Final of the women’s floor exercise was raised after the conclusion of the one-minute deadline provided by article 8.5 of the 2024 FIG Technical Regulations and is determined to be without effect,” the statement continued.
Why The Controversy?
The statement highlighted that the ‘time-stamped, video evidence submitted by USA Gymnastics Sunday evening shows Landi first stated her request to file an inquiry at the inquiry table 47 seconds after the score is posted, followed by a second statement 55 seconds after the score was originally posted.’
It further explained that the video footage was ‘not available’ to USA Gymnastics ‘prior to the tribunal’s decision, and thus USAG did not have the opportunity to previously submit it.’
While competing in the women’s floor exercise final on Monday, August 5, Romania’s Ana Barbosu was initially announced as the third-place winner. However, just moments later, Team USA filed an inquiry into the difficulty of one of Chiles’ moves. The judges agreed with the filing, adjusting her score from 13.666 to 13.766, which moved Chiles into the third-place spot.
A Twist in the Tale
The following day, Team Romania filed an inquiry into Team USA’s request, stating that it was past the deadline. After reviewing it, the CAS agreed with Romania’s request and reverted Chiles’ score back to 13.666.
With Barbosu reclaiming the third-place position, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) noted on Sunday that Chiles would be stripped of her medal.
‘Following the CAS decision regarding the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Floor Exercise Final and the amendment of the ranking by the International Gymnastics Federation, the IOC will reallocate the bronze medal to Ana Barbosu,’ the IOC’s Sunday statement read. ‘We are in touch with the NOC of Romania to discuss the reallocation ceremony and with USOPC regarding the return of the bronze medal.’
Later on the same day, Barbosu reacted to the decision, expressing that her ‘thoughts’ are with Chiles and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea. ‘I know what you are feeling because I’ve been through the same,’ she wrote via her Instagram Story on Sunday. ‘But I know you’ll come back stronger.’
