The Paris Olympics had Team USA and Jordan Chiles basking in the glow of her bronze medal, but not everyone’s living the dream. Over in Romania, the aftermath of the Floor Exercise finals has sparked a major gymnastics drama. Fans and Olympic champs alike are still fuming after an inquiry by Team USA’s coach led to Romanian gymnasts Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea’s floor routine bumping down a spot, clearing the path for Chiles’ podium moment! Since then, the controversy has caused a storm and now there is a new development: Romania has declared a bold decision!

According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) might have to revisit Maneca-Voinea’s routine after multiple requests for a review. The most notable request? From none other than Romanian legend Nadia Comaneci, who was the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10.0 at the Olympic Games!

Comaneci wasn’t holding back, telling Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, “You can’t see it,” about the supposed out-of-bounds deduction. “I don’t think [the FIG] can ignore it. Clarity is needed for Sabrina and all of us.” She didn’t just stop there. Comaneci took to social media with a vengeance. She shared a video showing that Maneca-Voinea’s foot, in her opinion, didn’t actually cross the line.

Her caption read, “This amazing floor routine needs to be reviewed … we need to protect our athletes’ mental health for being fair and correct @sabrina_voinea_alexia ❤️❤️❤️” Then, Comaneci went a step further, posting another video from a closer angle. It showed Maneca-Voinea’s foot just barely grazing past the boundary but not quite touching it. She captioned it, “Heel does not touch the mat.. no out of bounce…” So how did this drama begin?

The drama started on August 5th when Romania’s Ana Barbosu, scoring a solid 13.700, thought she’d snagged the bronze in the Floor Finals. Meanwhile, Jordan Chiles was feeling deflated, convinced she’d missed the podium. But in a twist their fortunes flipped in an instant. As Barbosu’s heart sank and she dropped her Romanian flag in despair, Chiles was celebrating her stunning bronze medal moment.

Jordan, initially sitting in 5th place, had her score of 13.666 bumped up to 13.766 after her coaches challenged a minor scoring decision. This move catapulted her past Barbosu and another Romanian gymnast, Sabrina Maneca-Voinea, into the bronze spot. While Ana walked away in tears, Jordan and her coach, Cécile Landi (who also happens to coach Simone Biles), were over the moon. Chiles joined Team Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade (gold) and Simone Biles (silver) on the podium, making it a night of celebration and igniting controversy. But Nadia Comaneci wasn’t the only one riled up by the decision!

Romania’s gymnastics squad isn’t about to let Team USA and Jordan Chiles take that Olympic medal without a fight!

Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced on August 6 that he’s boycotting the Paris Olympics Closing Ceremony, calling the situation a “scandal” and declaring that withdrawing a medal based on an appeal was “totally unacceptable.” He vowed to honor Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea as Olympic medalists, emphasizing that their efforts were “more precious than any medal.”

Nadia Comaneci also weighed in on X, expressing her disbelief over how the decision was handled and lamenting, “I can’t believe we play with athletes’ mental health and emotions like this.” Adding to the uproar, Romanian officials, including Mihai Covaliu, president of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, fired off a formal protest to the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).

Covaliu criticized the FIG for not fully explaining their decision and warned that the case had tarnished the sport’s image. Sabrina Maneca-Voinea even hinted at quitting the sport, further fueling the fire. Covaliu’s letter stressed the need for a thorough review of the decision due to the significant media attention and emotional impact on the athlete. So, what’s Team Jordan Chiles saying amid the uproar?

Jordan Chiles herself took to X moments after her medal and posted, “It’s funny how people can still never be happy for someone…” In a post-event interview, she shared that losing her voice from cheering for her teammates and herself was a badge of honor. She said, “Losing my voice means everything, because it takes a while for me to do that. I’m proud of each and every one of these girls, and especially myself.”

Meanwhile, Coach Cécile Landi wasn’t about to let Jordan’s win go unchallenged. On the r/Gymnastics subreddit, a comment made by coach Landi on Instagram taking a firm stand against the criticism went viral. She explained that Jordan’s highest Start Value (SV) on floor was 5.9, and despite a 5.8 in earlier rounds due to incomplete elements, they felt her final routine deserved better.

Landi noted that, given Jordan was already in 5th place and had nothing to lose, she requested the review with no expectations of success. Landi defended Jordan fiercely, stating that she didn’t take anything from anyone and simply did her job. She acknowledged the tough situation for the Romanian athlete but insisted that “it is the sport.”

Addressing critics, Landi made it clear: “You don’t have to like it, but you do have to respect the outcome and, more importantly, respect Jordan. She EARNED that bronze medal, her 1st individual Olympic medal and I couldn’t be more proud and excited!” With the controversy swirling and heating up for Team USA’s Jordan Chiles, what’s your take on this heated debate? Share in the comments below!