Jordan Chiles: Team USA gymnast stripped of Olympic bronze, Romania's Ana Barbosu awarded medal at Paris 2024 Games

Gymnast Jordan Chiles has been stripped of the bronze medal she was awarded for her performance in the women's floor final last Monday. Romania's Ana Barbosu was originally judged third before a difficult score inquiry was lodged by the American's coach. But the IOC have announced the inquiry came four seconds too late, following a CAS ruling. US Olympic officials have appealed the decision.

Watch incredible Biles & Chiles celebrations after late, successful appeal shakes up medal positions

Video credit: TNT Sports

Jordan Chiles left the Bercy Arena with a bronze medal around her neck after the floor event on Monday evening.

However, after a ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Chiles has now been stripped of her medal, with original third-place finisher Ana Barbosu of Romania reinstated to the podium.

The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee statement read: “We firmly believe that Jordan rightfully earned the bronze medal, and there were critical errors in both the initial scoring by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and the subsequent CAS appeal process that need to be addressed."

Olympic Games Paris

CAS denies USA Gymnastics' request to review ruling that stripped Chiles of bronze medal

13/08/2024 at 13:44

USA Gymnastics released a statement on Sunday evening, stating they have "formally submitted a letter and video evidence to the Court of Arbitration for Sport" in appeal of the decision, which was ratified by the International Gymnastics Federation and subsequently by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) earlier on Sunday.

In the final floor results on Monday, Chiles was given an original score of 13.666 that put her in fifth place behind eventual gold medalist Rebeca Andrade, compatriot Simone Biles and the Romanian duo of Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Voinea.

Chiles' coach, Cecile Landi, lodged a difficult score inquiry that subsequently added 0.1 to her score, lifting her into the bronze medal position.

The IOC released a statement on Sunday confirming CAS's judgment: “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.”

The American stood jubilantly on the podium while Barbosu cut a devastated figure after prematurely celebrating what she thought was her bronze medal.

After the event, it was determined that America's difficult score inquiry was submitted four seconds beyond the one-minute allotted time for such an appeal, thus making it invalid.

The ruling means Chiles drops back to fifth place and therefore is stripped of her bronze medal, with Barbosu restored to the bronze medal position.

CAS's decision against Chiles read: “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.”

But USA Gymnastics' statement confirmed that the team have submitted a letter and video evidence, "conclusively establishing that Head Coach Cecile Land's request to file an inquiry was submitted 47 seconds after the publishing of the score, within the 1-minute deadline required by FIG rule."

Simone Biles, Rebeca Andrade, Jordan Chiles, Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Image credit: Getty Images

The statement added that the letter sent "requests that the CAS ruling be revised and Chiles' bronze-medal score of 13.766 reinstated", further detailing a "time-stamped video" which "shows Land 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".

The statement continued: "The video footage provided was not available to USA Gymnastics prior to the tribunal's decision and thus USAG did not have the opportunity to previously submit it."

USA Gymnastics and the US Olympic Committee issued a joint-statement in response to the ruling, denouncing the online abuse Chiles has received since Monday.

"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," the statement read.

"Throughout the appeal process, Jordan has been subject to consistent, utterly baseless and extremely hurtful attacks on social media.

"No athlete should be subject to such treatment. We condemn the attacks and those who engage, support or instigate them.

"We commend Jordan for conducting herself with integrity both on and off the competition floor, and we continue to stand by and support her."

discovery+ is the streaming home of the Olympic Games, and the only place you can watch every moment of Paris 2024 this summer.

Olympic Games Paris

‘Doing this for just me meant the world’ - Biles in ‘really good spot’ after Paris success

07/08/2024 at 11:23

Artistic Gymnastics

Biles 'not sure' over competing at LA 2028 Olympics - 'It's a big decision to make'

22/04/2025 at 08:40