Breaking Down the Women’s Gymnastics’ Bronze Chaos
After an exciting Olympics closing ceremony at the Stade de France, Jordan Chiles faces a heart-wrenching situation as her bronze medal will be taken away and given to Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu. The Women's Gymnastics floor finals results have been disputed, leading to ongoing appeals to determine the rightful third place. There have been so many twists and turns in the story that it can become confusing trying to keep up, so here is a full breakdown of the situation and what it means for everyone involved.
Jordan Chiles receiving her bronze medal (Getty Images)
On Monday, August 5th, Jordan Chiles of Team USA was the final competitor of the night in the Women's Gymnastics floor finals. Her initial routine scored a 13.666, placing her in fifth position behind Rebeca Andrade, Simone Biles, and the Romanians - Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea. Although Barbosu and Maneca-Voinea both initially received scores of 13.700, Barbosu believed she had a slight advantage due to a higher execution score. Chiles was visibly upset, while Barbosu was already celebrating with her country's flag. However, the scores on the screen were later adjusted, and Jordan's score was revised to 13.766, placing her in third position and leaving the two Romanians off the podium. This change occurred because Jordan's coach, Cécile Canqueteau-Landi, submitted an appeal to revise her score, as she hadn't been credited for a tour jete full, a move that consists of a split leap followed by a full spin on the way down.
Ana Barbosu & Jordan Chiles (Getty Images)
Sabrina's coach also submitted an appeal, which was denied. Ana was devastated while Jordan was decorated with a medal alongside teammate Simone and the event’s ultimate winner, Rebeca.
Clearly hurt by how the situation was handled, the two Romanian athletes quickly gathered support from fellow athletes, such as iconic gymnast Nadia Comaneci, who posted on X.
On August 6th, the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee (COSR) submitted an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to reconsider Sabrina Moneca-Voinea's score. They claimed that she was wrongly penalized for a non-existent fault. However, the appeal was quickly shut down.
It's unclear when they submitted a request related to Coach Landin's request, but the argument was that it had been done after the allowed 1-minute window the teams have to appeal a score after it was posted.
The claim stated that Jordan's claim was made at 1:04, 4 seconds late. The CAS approved the appeal, leading the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) to restore the scores to their original state. As a result, Barbosu regained third place, and Jordan returned to fifth position. However, it was mentioned that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would decide if Jordan needed to return her medal.
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The Romanian Committee originally suggested that Jordan keep her medal while awarding one to Sabrina and Ana for their tied scores. However, after the Romanians' appeal was accepted, the IOC ruled that Jordan had to return her medal, and a ceremony was planned to award a new one to Ana Barbosu only.
Throughout this entire rollercoaster process, the athletes have been the targets of vicious online attacks, including racist remarks directed at Jordan and other negative comments aimed at the Romanian athletes.
“My daughter is a highly decorated Olympian with the biggest heart and a level of sportsmanship that is unmatched. And she’s being called disgusting things.”
Just yesterday, USA Gymnastics submitted a new appeal, requesting a thorough review of Jordan's ruling. In their appeal, they provided a time-stamped video as evidence to demonstrate that they followed all the proper protocols during the inquiry. According to USA Gymnastics, their inability to access this crucial piece of evidence earlier led to the delayed submission. The introduction of this new evidence introduced a significant element of uncertainty regarding the potential outcome of the situation and caused the final resolution in question once again.
Today, CAS denied the appeal, but USA Gymnastics plans to continue the appeal process.
No matter who wins the medal, none of these athletes should be subjected to this treatment. The Olympic Games are about unity, sportsmanship, and excellence, not an opportunity to call names and scrutinize the competitors for their mistakes. It has been a rough week for the three athletes involved, and the process has taken a mental and emotional toll on all of them. Regardless of the score or medal, they are all excellent and worthy of recognition.
Yesterday, the rapper Flavor Flav, also known as Team USA's team dad, offered to craft a one-of-a-kind bronze clock necklace for Chiles. This generous act solidifies Flavor Flav's status as a national treasure.
What will happen to Jordan is currently unclear. One thing is certain: it's unfair that she has been subjected to the back-and-forth result changes, which is fueling the public's outrage and encouraged by the haters.
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Despite the uncertainty, she has made history by being a part of the first all-Black podium in women's gymnastics. She also gave us the most heartwarming moment in the Olympics by bowing down with Simone to praise Rebeca Andrade for her win. Additionally, she delivered an exhilarating and energetic performance to the beat of none other than fellow queen Beyoncé. Through it all, she's still That Girl.