US gymnast Jordan Chiles has expressed heartbreak after being stripped of her Olympic bronze medal, revealing that she has also faced racially motivated abuse on social media. Initially awarded bronze in the floor exercise at the Paris Olympics, Chiles was moved from fifth to third place following a successful appeal over her routine's scoring. However, the Romanian Olympic Committee argued that the appeal was filed four seconds past the one-minute time limit, leading the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to void Chiles’s appeal. Consequently, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ordered Chiles to return the medal, promoting Romania’s Ana Barbosu to third place while Chiles dropped back to fifth. The Romanians had suggested that both gymnasts be awarded bronze.
Chiles temporarily left social media after the decision but returned on Thursday to share her feelings about the situation. "I have no words. This decision feels unjust and comes as a significant blow not just to me but to everyone who has championed my journey," Chiles wrote. "To add to the heartbreak, the unprompted racially driven attacks on social media are wrong and extremely hurtful."
USA Gymnastics presented evidence claiming Chiles's appeal was within the time limit, but CAS dismissed the appeal and maintained that its decision could not be altered, even with new conclusive evidence.
Despite the setback, Chiles remains determined to fight for her bronze medal. She also celebrated winning gold in the team event with her US teammates. "I will approach this challenge as I have others – and I will make every effort to ensure that justice is done," Chiles wrote. "I believe that at the end of this journey, the people in control will do the right thing."
USA Gymnastics is considering taking the case to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, which can hear appeals against CAS decisions, though such decisions are rarely overturned. It has also emerged that Dr. Hamid G. Gharavi, head of the CAS panel on Chiles’s case, has performed legal work for the Romanian government. CAS told the New York Times that Gharavi had disclosed this work, and none of the parties in the Chiles hearing had objected.
Former Olympic champion Nadia Comaneci commented on the toll the controversy has taken on all the gymnasts involved. "I can’t believe we play with athletes' mental health and emotions like this … Let’s protect them," Comaneci posted on X last week.
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