Court rejects appeal for Jordan Chiles to keep bronze medal despite US submitting video evidence

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has denied USA Gymnastics' appeal for Jordan Chiles to keep her floor exercise bronze medal from the 2024 Paris Olympics, despite the U.S. claiming video evidence proved the gymnast should keep her standing.

Chiles was originally awarded bronze last week after an appeal of her score by U.S. coach Cecile Landi — which was submitted on-site after her routine — was approved. The granted appeal increased Chiles’ score by 0.1, moving her to third place from fifth. This bumped Romania’s Ana Barbosu, who had been celebrating, out of medal contention that day.

Barbosu's team later fought the decision, saying the on-site inquiry from Team USA came in at 1 minute and 4 seconds after Chiles' score was posted, which is longer than the 1-minute deadline to appeal. Because the inquiry came in seconds too late, the International Olympic Committee ruled Chiles had to forfeit her medal to Barbosu.

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Then on Sunday, USA Gymnastics said it had formally submitted a letter and video evidence to the CAS "conclusively establishing" Landi had first requested to file the inquiry 47 seconds after the score was published followed by a second statement 55 seconds after the score was posted, both "within the 1-minute deadline required by the FIG rule.

"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," said the team, requesting CAS advise its ruling and reinstate Chiles' 13.766 bronze-medal score.

But on Monday, USA Gymnastics said CAS stated its rules "do not allow for an arbitral award to be reconsidered even when conclusive new evidence is presented," thereby denying the appeal.

"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," USA Gymnastics said in a statement.

Chiles has already returned back to the U.S. with the bronze medal. When it was announced she would be stripped of it, she announced she'd be taking a social media break.

"I am taking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health thank you," Chiles posted on her Instagram Story.

Barbosu also posted a statement to her Instagram Story.

"Sabrina, Jordan, my thoughts are with you,” she said, also speaking to teammate Sabrina Maneca-Voinea. “I know what you are feeling, because I've been through the same. But know you'll come back stronger.”

“I hope from deep [in my] heart that at the next Olympics, all three of us will share [the] same podium. This is my true dream!” she said.

“This situation would not have existed if the persons in charge had respected the regulation. We athletes are not to be blamed, and the hate directed to us is painful,” added Barbosu.

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