In a surprising turn of events, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Sunday that American gymnast Jordan Chiles will be stripped of her bronze medal in the floor exercise from the Paris Games. The medal will instead be awarded to Romanian gymnast Ana Bărbosu, following a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The CAS ruling, issued on Saturday, determined that an inquiry submitted by the USA regarding Chiles’ score in the floor exercise final was filed after the one-minute deadline had expired. As a result, Chiles’ adjusted score of 13.766, which initially placed her in third, was rescinded. Her original score of 13.666 was reinstated, and Bărbosu, who scored 13.700, was elevated to the bronze medal position.
IOC statement and reallocation
The IOC confirmed the medal reallocation in a statement: “Following the CAS decision with regard to 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 (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 committee also noted that it is coordinating with the National Olympic Committee of Romania to arrange a reallocation ceremony and with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) regarding the return of Chiles’ bronze medal.
Dramatic conclusion and aftermath
The floor exercise final on Monday concluded with high drama. Bărbosu initially believed she had secured the bronze with a score of 13.700. However, after Chiles’ coaches successfully challenged her difficulty score, Chiles was briefly awarded the third-place finish, resulting in a historic all-Black podium with Rebeca Andrade of Brazil winning gold and American Simone Biles taking silver.
The CAS ruling has now nullified that moment, as the inquiry on Chiles’ behalf was found to be submitted too late, leading to the medal reversal.
Following the decision, Chiles expressed her heartbreak on Instagram, posting four broken heart emojis and stating, “I am taking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health thank you.”
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and USA Gymnastics have yet to announce whether they will appeal the CAS ruling. USA Gymnastics previously expressed their disappointment with the decision, stating they were “devastated” by the outcome.