USA Gymnastics officials announced that an arbitration panel has denied a request to reconsider its decision mandating gymnast Jordan Chiles return the bronze medal she received for her floor exercise performance at the Paris Olympics. Despite this setback, USA Gymnastics pledges to intensify its efforts to allow Chiles to retain the medal.
“USA Gymnastics was notified by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday that their rules do not allow for an arbitral award to be reconsidered even when conclusive new evidence is presented,” the organization said in a statement. “We are deeply disappointed by the notification and will continue to pursue every possible avenue and appeal process, including to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, to ensure the just scoring, placement, and medal award for Jordan.”
The controversy began when CAS voided an on-floor appeal from Chiles’ coach, which had initially elevated her to third place. CAS determined that the appeal was submitted four seconds beyond the one-minute time limit for scoring inquiries. This decision was met with strong opposition from USA Gymnastics, which stated that video evidence proves Team USA coach Cecile Landi first appealed 13 seconds before the deadline.
The dispute over such small increments of time has set the stage for a potentially protracted legal battle over the gymnastics scores. The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have both indicated they will honor CAS’s decision, with the IOC announcing it will reallocate the bronze medal to Ana Barbosu of Romania. Rebeca Andrade of Brazil and Simone Biles of the United States won the gold and silver medals, respectively.
CAS ruled that Landi’s inquiry to add a 0.1-point increase to Chiles’ score was submitted outside the one-minute window specified for such appeals. The ad hoc committee writing for CAS specified that the inquiry occurred one minute and four seconds after Chiles’ initial score was posted.
Following the ruling, the IOC stated it would contact the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee regarding the return of Chiles’ bronze medal. Additionally, the IOC plans to coordinate with the Romanian Olympic Committee on a reallocation ceremony to honor Barbosu.
Any further appeals could escalate to Switzerland’s highest court, the Swiss Tribunal, or potentially the European Court of Human Rights.
Adding a unique twist to this unfolding drama, rapper Flavor Flav, a well-known celebrity supporter of the 2024 Olympians, including discus thrower Veronica Fraley, has offered a symbolic replacement medal for Chiles. He announced on social media platform X that he created a bedazzled bronze medal, styled after the clocks he famously wore during his days with Public Enemy, as a gesture while the United States continues its fight.
Chiles’ mother, Gina Charles, responded on social media, “Thank you. Means the world. She’s not on socials right now as you can imagine. I’ll share it with her.”
