The 2024 Olympics certainly had its share of awkward, uncomfortable, and downright bizarre moments. But few were as shocking as Jordan Chiles being stripped of her Olympic bronze medal. As the days dragged on, the controversy only intensified. Amid the uproar, Chiles’ family stood firm, denouncing the flood of online abuse she endured. In a surprising twist, Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, expressed regret, taking some of the blame for the uproar.

Before Chiles lost her medal on August 9, her mother, Gina Chiles, took to social media to blast the racist and vile comments targeting her daughter. “The racist, disgusting comments are still happening in 2024. I’m tired of people who say it no longer exists,” she wrote on X. “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.”

At the time, Alexis Ohanian also weighed in: “I am so sick of this. Gonna build something better for athletes.” Ohanian, who has been actively supporting athletes, including paying Olympian discus thrower Veronica Fraley’s rent and launching the 776 Invitational – a women-only event – with the largest prize purse in track and field history, felt a sense of guilt for not being able to help Chiles directly. Subsequently, he expressed this sentiment in an interview with CBS Mornings on X on August 15.

One of the interviewers brought up Ohanian’s statement in response to Gina Chiles’ tweet, asking, “How are you going to help here?” While he has a plan (or at least the idea of one), he first took responsibility for all the hate Jordan Chiles has been facing. “Gosh, I mean, look, I’ve unfortunately had a front-row seat to this.” How come?

“I realize I created Reddit, so I take responsibility for some of this with social media,” Ohanian said. Reddit is one of the biggest social media platforms, and one of its USPs is the anonymity of its users. However, this anonymity has enabled people to target others, something Jordan Chiles is facing currently. Further justifying his point, the 41-year-old added, “At the end of the day, I’ve seen the stuff that my wife gets, I’ve seen the stuff that so many athletes get, and I’ve seen the stuff that I get… Folks are not being sports fans when they’re harassing, trolling, and they’re sending hateful messages to athletes.”

Alexis Ohanian has taken responsibility for some of the hate Chiles is receiving, but considering he’s one of Reddit’s cofounders, why can’t he do something directly? Well, this hate he witnessed Serena Williams and so many other athletes getting was why Ohanian split from the company in 2020, resigning in protest “to urge the company to finally ban hate communities.” Since that hasn’t happened, he’s formulated a plan for a new one – something he elaborated on during the interview.

“We’re living in an age now where athletes have more control than ever. They should be able to go directly to their fans, but so few of them spend time on social media because of that toxicity. That was the final struggle that led me to launch the landing page for InnerCircle.com.” That “something better” Ohanian mentioned under Gina Chiles’ post? This was it.

He wanted to “build a platform that empowers athletes to have control, so they can enjoy social media and connect with their fans without dealing with the hate.” As for Jordan Chiles, the hate and racist remarks directed at her got to the point where the 23-year-old put out a statement herself. On Thursday, she addressed the hate and the bronze medal being taken away. She wrote on Instagram, “I have no words. This decision feels unjust and comes as a significant blow, not just to me, but to everyone who has championed my journey.”   

“To add to the heartbreak, the unprompted racially driven attacks on social media are wrong and extremely hurtful,” Chiles added. This is precisely why Alexis Ohanian is working toward making social media more accessible to athletes. After all, he understands the gravity of these issues, as Serena Williams has long been a staunch advocate for athletes facing racist remarks. The 23-time Grand Slam champion has endured similar challenges, reinforcing her status as one of the greatest tennis players of all time.

As Jordan Chiles’ bronze medal controversy remains a significant point of discussion, there’s no doubt that Alexis Ohanian, Gina Chiles, and everyone in the gymnast’s corner will keep backing her until “justice is done,” as the 23-year-old wrote herself.

The Romanian Gymnastics Federation threw a wrench in the works for Jordan Chiles

The 2024 Paris Olympics were rife with unforgettable moments, but none as electrifying and controversial as the saga of Jordan Chiles’ bronze medal. It all began during the women’s floor exercise final, where Chiles’ initial score of 13.666 was thrillingly upgraded to 13.766 after her coach, Cecile Landi, filed a dramatic appeal. This contested a deduction on Chiles’ tour jete full — a breathtaking mid-air split leap — catapulting Chiles into third place and heartbreakingly bumping Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu off the podium.

But the celebration was short-lived. The Romanian Gymnastics Federation pounced, claiming the appeal was submitted a mere 4 seconds late. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in favor of the Romanians, sending shockwaves through the gymnastics world. The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) revised the results, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) demanded Chiles return her medal to be reallocated to Barbosu.

The plot thickened with conflicting reports about the timing of the appeal and the procedural chaos that ensued. Tension mounted as CAS refused to reconsider its decision, leaving the final resolution hanging by a thread, possibly hinging on an appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal. The world watches with bated breath as this gripping drama unfolds. USA Gymnastics vowed to explore “every possible avenue and appeal process to ensure the just scoring, placement and medal award,” but as of now, Chiles only has the team gold in her name from the Paris Olympics.