Winning and losing at the same time is an emotional rollercoaster that few can fathom. This is exactly what Jordan Chiles is experiencing.

August 5th: It was one of those unforgettable days, filled with emotional highs and lows. The women’s gymnastics floor exercise final was already shaping up to be a cliffhanger, and the tension hit its peak when Jordan Chiles took to the mat for her last routine. With Romania’s Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea deadlocked at 13.700, the stakes couldn’t have been higher as Chiles geared up to give it her all in Paris’ Bercy Arena.

When the last gymnast came to perform, Jordan Chiles was awarded a score of 13.666, placing her in fifth – so close, yet so far from the medal podium. Her dream of capturing her first individual Olympic medal hung by a thread. It was just a tenth of a point away from the finish line. Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade led the pack with 14.166, followed by U.S. teammate Simone Biles at 14.133.

Barbosu and Maneca-Voinea were still tied at third and fourth after a tiebreaker, leaving Chiles to face the bittersweet reality of being just a hair’s breadth away from the podium. But Voinea could have been a bronze medalist if 0.1 from her routine for stepping out of bounds, may have narrowly kept her foot in bounds. Maneca-Voinea’s score would have been 13.800. But it wasn’t so easy for Chiles to get a first individual medal!

Controversy erupted shortly after when U.S. coach Cecile Canqueteau-Landi challenged Chiles’ score, claiming she hadn’t received full credit for a split leap. The judges raised Chiles’ score to 13.766, moving her to third place and displacing Barbosu. However, the Romanian Gymnastics Federation appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), arguing that Chiles’ challenge was submitted after the one-minute deadline. CAS upheld the appeal, restoring Chiles’ original score and reinstating Barbosu in third place. The International Olympic Committee then announced that Chiles’ medal would be reallocated to Barbosu, prompting USA Gymnastics to publicly address the situation.

USA Gymnastics new evidence rejected, Chiles’ score

USA Gymnastics submitted a letter and video to CAS, alleging that time-stamped footage showed Chiles’ coach, Cecile Canqueteau-Landi, stating “her request to file an inquiry at the inquiry table 47 seconds after the score was posted, followed by a second statement 55 seconds after the score was originally posted.” USAG argued that “the video footage provided was not available to USA Gymnastics prior to the tribunal’s decision,” and thus they had not had the chance to present it earlier. Despite this, the following day, USA Gymnastics revealed that CAS had informed them that “their rules do not allow for an arbitral award to be reconsidered even when conclusive new evidence is presented.”

The situation has left USA Gymnastics profoundly disappointed, prompting plans to pursue further appeals, including to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, in an effort to secure fair scoring and placement for Chiles. The controversy has tainted the athletes’ experiences, leading both Chiles and Barbosu to take social media breaks. Chiles’ mother has condemned the racist remarks directed at her daughter, while Barbosu has expressed frustration over the unjust blame placed on athletes. On August 10, the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld Barbosu’s appeal, ruling that Chiles’ inquiry was submitted after the one-minute deadline, restoring Chiles’ original score of 13.666 and dismissing the penalty application against Maneca-Voinea. The FIG revised the results accordingly, and USA Gymnastics expressed deep disappointment, maintaining that their inquiry was made in good faith and in accordance with FIG rules.

IOC orders medal reallocation

The International Olympic Committee instructed Jordan Chiles to give back her bronze medal on August 11th after the Court of Arbitration, for Sport ruled in favor of Ana Barbosu, who was awarded the bronze following a ranking adjustment, by FIG. The IOC stated that arrangements are being made with the Romanian NOC and the USOPC for a ceremony to reallocate the medal and assist in its return.

Despite offers from U.S. and Romanian officials to award bronze medals to both athletes, the FIG declined. Barbosu expressed support for Chiles, hoping for a shared podium in future Olympics, while also addressing the painful and unjust nature of the controversy.

USA Gymnastics submitted new video evidence to CAS, claiming their inquiry was timely and requesting a revision to reinstate Chiles’ score. The day CAS notified them that their regulations prohibited reevaluating an arbitration decision even if new evidence was presented. Both USA Gymnastics and the USOPC expressed dissatisfaction, with CASs handling of the matter pointing out that USA Gymnastics was informed on August 9—three days after the case was initiated—due, to email address mistakes.

They also pointed out that CAS dropped the ball by failing to provide conflict-of-interest disclosures for the panelists and maintained that video evidence backs their claim that Chiles’ coach submitted the inquiry within the one-minute window. USA Gymnastics vowed to fight tooth and nail to appeal the decision and seek justice for Chiles. The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee expressed worries mentioning that the utilization of email addresses caused them to rush against time preventing them from providing a timely response and collecting essential evidence.

Barbosu receives her heavy medal while Jordan Chiles speaks out with a heartfelt plea

On Thursday, Jordan Chiles spoke publicly for the first time since losing her bronze medal, describing it as “one of the most challenging moments” of her career. In a heartfelt message posted to X, she expressed deep gratitude for the outpouring of support from her family, teammates, and coaches during this difficult time. Chiles reflected on the heartbreak of having her medal stripped despite the appeal by USA Gymnastics, which provided clear evidence that her score complied with all rules.

She expressed her disappointment, with the ruling deeming it unfair and a major setback for all those who have backed her. Chiles also criticized the motivated assaults she faced on platforms underscoring her sense of honor in representing her heritage and nation while staying true to honesty and fair play. She ended by recognizing her obstacles of her and promising to seek fairness with optimism that those, in charge, would eventually make the correct decision.

Ana Barbosu received her Olympic bronze medal in Bucharest on Friday, expressing her determination to wear it proudly. “I did not expect the medal to be so heavy, but I would wear it day and night if this is what it takes to have it,” she said. Barbosu credited her federation and law firm for resolving the controversy and expressed hope to represent Romania with more success. Despite the contentious circumstances, she acknowledged the U.S. gymnasts and extended her “good thoughts” to them.

Hence, Chiles remains the only gymnast in history to have lost an Olympic medal for reasons beyond age falsification or failed drug tests. This unprecedented situation disrupts the rulebook and adds a dramatic new chapter to Olympic gymnastics history. Do you think the FIG should have awarded two bronze medals to both Ana Barbosu and Jordan Chiles? Comment below and let us know!