The Paris Olympics concluded a week ago, but the drama seems stronger than ever. Jordan Chiles‘ Olympic bronze controversy refuses to die down. The 23-year-old stepped into her second Summer Games berth with wide eyes and a dream – to clinch her first individual medal. While Team USA successfully snatched a gold in the team all-around finals, the 23-year-old witnessed her full circle moment on August 5. However, the gymnast’s third-place finish came at the expense of Romania’s Ana Barbosu.

Refusing to let this go, the Romanian Gymnastics Federation filed an inquiry with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. This started a long battle for the coveted hardware. Even though this spectacle has finally concluded, the process took a massive toll on Chiles. Former American gymnast Aly Raisman recently shared her take on this heartbreaking situation. What did she take away from this?

Befuddled by the situation, Aly Raisman shares her two cents

The 30-year-old had a similar experience at the 2012 London Olympics. Initially placed in fourth place, she was bumped up to third after her coach filed an appeal shortly after. The only difference? Unlike Jordan Chiles, she got to keep her medal. Aly Raisman failed to hide her disappointment while discussing the situation on the Today Show. “Yeah, it honestly makes no sense to me,” she confessed. The CAS ruled in Barbosu’s favor because Team USA’s appeal came 4 seconds after the dedicated window. 

However, the former gymnast struggled to understand how that could possibly happen. “There is a designated trained official whose job it is to keep the time, they are not allowed to move forward with the inquiry unless it’s under that minute.” The timeframe seems to be the crux of the problem, it wasn’t brought up immediately back then. Raisman pointed this out too, ” So that under a minute time was valid if there were able to then have the judges review it.” Many seem to have a bone to pick with Cecile Landi. 

But there’s nothing wrong with submitting an inquiry. “Which the judges then admitted they made a mistake. The score was changed,” the former gymnast exclaimed. Here’s the bit that leaves her seething though. “So, I would like to know what evidence does the court of arbitration have that they were able to overrule this trained official.” USA Gymnastics shared evidence that proved the inquiry was made under the 1-minute window within 47 seconds. However, this never amounted to anything. 

Unfortunately for Chiles, the CAS still stuck to the previously shared evidence, stating that the ruling still stands. However, Raisman is still in disbelief, “It absolutely makes no sense to me and I don’t why they’re not sharing what evidence they have.” Even though Ana Barbosu’s 3rd place win was reinstated, the 30-year-old believes it was incredibly unfair. “But Jordan deserves answers. It honestly makes no sense to me, I’m very confused by the process that’s happening right now.” Let’s rewind to take a look at what really happened. 

The perpetual saga of Jordan Chiles’ Olympic bronze at Paris Olympics

The grand finale of the gymnastics events at the Paris Olympics was nothing short of a spectacle. The women’s gymnastics floor exercise final kept everyone on the edge of their seats, as Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade led the scoreboard with a score of 14.166, closely followed by the USA’s Simone Biles at 14.133. Romania’s Sabrina Maneca-Voinea and Ana Barbosu were tied for third at 13.700. But the real drama was yet to unfold, with the final act belonging to Jordan Chiles.

As Chiles stepped onto the mat, the anticipation inside the Bercy Arena was palpable. Her performance was captivating, but when her score was revealed—13.666—it seemed her efforts would only place her fifth. However, a quick review by her coach, Cecile Landi, revealed that Chiles hadn’t received full credit for her routine. After the adjustment, her score was corrected to 13.766, pushing her into third place and a spot on the podium.

But the celebration was short-lived. In a dramatic twist, the Romanian Gymnastics Federation contested the decision, taking the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Following an intense hearing, CAS ruled in favor of the Romanians, reverting Chiles’ score back to 13.666 and bumping her down to fifth place, with Ana Barbosu reclaiming the bronze medal.

The decision was a heartbreaking blow for Chiles, who had already tasted the thrill of victory, only to have it snatched away. Aly Raisman, reflecting on the situation, compared it to her own experiences and expressed her deep empathy for the 23-year-old, admitting, “I wish that things were very different for Jordan.” But in the unpredictable world of sports, sometimes that’s just how the cookie crumbles. What are your thoughts on Raisman’s perspective?