Jordan Chiles Breaks Silence on Medal Revocation – ‘It Seems Unfair’ – Essence

American gymnast Jordan Chiles spoke publicly concerning the Olympic Committee’s decision to strip her of her bronze medal.

Chiles’ freestyle routine in the ladies’s freestyle final earned her a 3rd-place finish on the Aug. 5, 2024, podium, marking a historic winning moment for black women, alongside her U.S. teammate Simone Biles and Brazilian Rebecca Andrade.

However, there was controversy over Chiles’ scoring changes that allowed her to win the medal. Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu scored 13.700 points for her routine, allowing her to win the presumptive bronze medal before Chiles’ turn on the mat. Chiles was the last competitor of the day, scoring 13.666 points, good for fifth place.

Forty-seven seconds later, Team USA coach Cecile Landi asked the judges to review the scoring, which appeared to have ignored difficulty points for Chiles’ routine. After making adjustments, the judges updated her rating to 13.766, which ultimately placed her third.

Almost every week later, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) received an appeal from the Romanian Gymnastics Federation (FRG), difficult the timing of the U.S.’s investigation and in search of to have the corrected results reversed. CAS ruled that Chiles’s rating ought to be returned to its original value and that her medal ought to be stripped, to be re-awarded to Barbosu.

For its part, the Federal Republic of Germany has publicly condemned The CAS decision stands because it is, and it was stressed that the particular request was for the gymnasts to share the medal, not for it to be invalidated and given to a different medal.

After taking a break from social media on account of mental health issues while USA Gymnastics took various steps to reinstate her medal, Chiles took to Instagram on August 15 to make her first public statement concerning the traumatic experience.

“I am speechless,” she said in an announcement. “This decision feels unfair and is a major blow not only to me, but to everyone who has supported my journey.”

Chiles condemned the “unjustified racial attacks,” which she called “unjust and extremely hurtful.”

“I put my heart and soul into this sport and I am proud to represent my culture and my country.”

In the most recent developments surrounding Chiles’ medal, the U.S. has filed an appeal against CAS’s decision to strip the gymnast of her medal, with time-stamped video evidence proving that each one investigations were conducted inside the regular timeframe. However, the sports arbitration body has said its decision is final. As a result, USA Gymnastics has announced plans to take the case to Switzerland’s highest court.

But Jordan Chiles says she is able to face what she calls “the biggest challenge of my career.”

“I will approach this challenge as I have any other — and I will do my utmost to see that justice is done,” she wrote. “I trust that at the end of this journey, those in power will do what is right.”