Simone Biles is not stopping supporting Jordan Chiles anytime soon. After the Paris Olympics, Chiles was in an extremely jovial mood. And she had enough reasons to be so. After all, Chiles had won the Olympic gold medal with her teammates. And to add further joy to her Olympic escapade, Chiles also clinched the bronze medal in floor exercise.

However, getting that bronze medal was pretty much the last bit of happiness that Jordan Chiles had. Because, soon after returning to her country, she was met with horrific news. Jordan Chiles, along with the entire gymnastics fraternity, was stunned to hear that she was stripped of her Olympic medal. While a huge controversy broke out, Chiles got the support of her BFF, the legendary Simone Biles.

After supporting her thoroughly, Biles helped her to overcome her depression. And now, after so many days, Biles is still showing her support for Jordan Chiles. In Chiles’ recently released book, I’m That Girl: Living the Power of My Dreams, Biles opened up about her thoughts on Jordan Chiles’ medal controversy. She said, “I am still shocked by how it all happened, as I am not aware of anything like that happening before in gymnastics.”

Biles further went on to mention athletes were being suspended or stripped off their medals for entirely different reasons. The goat opined that usually it is related to issues like doping. And even then, the process was not fast. Usually, it takes a couple of years to get to a conclusion. Shockingly, this was not the case with Jordan Chiles. Even before a week had passed, Jordan Chiles was ordered by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to give back the bronze medal. 

Biles further mentioned that the incident was a shocking one for the entire team. After all, they were the first-hand witnesses of how hard Biles has actually worked to get herself to the podium. Adding further intrigue to the incident, Biles mentioned that she will continue to support and stand by Jordan Chiles the same way they stood by her during the Tokyo Olympics.

The gymnastics legend also made a bold claim, saying, “The rest of the team and I tried to support her, love her, and uplift her—the way they all did for me in Tokyo. Whether or not she gets back the medal, she’ll always be a bronze winner in our eyes.” Surely, a quick look back will make things clear why exactly the shock element is still on for the likes of Simone Biles.

Back in Tokyo, Jordan Chiles was initially awarded the fourth place. However, an inquiry from Cecile Landi meant that the decision was reversed. Chiles was touted as the bronze winner, whereas Ana Barbosu of Romania took the fourth place. Unhappy with the results, the Romanian team took to the CAS to object to the decision.

Surprisingly, the CAS ruled that Cecile Landi was late in submitting the inquiry. While a long back and forth followed, Ana Barbosu got reinstated with the bronze medal. Surely enough, this incident took a serious toll on Jordan Chiles’ mental health. Thankfully, Simone Biles was there to save her day once again.

How Simone Biles’ advice saved Jordan Chiles gymnastics dream while she was fighting her darkest battle

With a single life-altering suggestion, Biles led Chiles toward a new beginning, one that not only revived her gymnastics career but also saved her mental health. Chiles, in an interview with People, revealed how Biles’ advice to train at the World Champions Centre (WCC) became the turning point she desperately needed.

“I wanted to get it off my chest,” she admitted, finally allowing herself to confront the pain that had consumed her. At WCC, under the guidance of Cecile and Laurent Landi, Chiles found the supportive environment she had been missing. More than just a training facility, it became a sanctuary where she could rebuild herself mentally and physically.

The toxic voices that once dictated her worth were replaced with encouragement and understanding, and for the first time in a long while, she could breathe. The impact of that decision was transformative. Chiles not only rekindled her passion for gymnastics but also rediscovered her confidence.

Reflecting on her journey, she shared, “I’m happy now that people get to read it and understand, and hopefully that gives them the confidence to be like, ‘You know what? Maybe I need to talk about something [too].’” Her story is more than just about resilience; it’s about the power of having the right people in your corner. And for Chiles, that person was Biles—the friend who saw her struggles, extended a hand, and led her toward the light.