The Jordan Chiles saga has become one of the most drawn-out dramas since the Paris Olympics, and it’s not showing any signs of winding down. Initially, Chiles earned a bronze medal in the floor finals after a successful appeal by Team USA. But just when it seemed she had cemented her spot on the podium, the plot thickened. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) yanked the medal away, claiming her coach’s appeal was too late, and bumped her back to fifth place. Romania’s Ana Barbosu snagged the bronze instead, and Chiles’ subsequent appeal was a bust.

The decision was met with fierce backlash, with critics arguing that the Gymnastics Federation overlooked Chiles’ mental health amid the turmoil. International Gymnastics Federation President Morinari Watanabe didn’t hold back in his critique, labeling the whole fiasco a “tragedy” in a post-Games report. Watanabe pushed for tech upgrades to prevent such errors in the future, stating, “We need change. We need challenges. And we need the courage to move forward.” Admirable words, but not everyone was impressed, especially with the ongoing drama surrounding Chiles’ medal.

Now, the plot has thickened even further. Watanabe is eyeing an even bigger prize—he’s running for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president, aiming to replace Thomas Bach, who’s been in the role since 2013. With his long history in Olympic sports—becoming FIG president in 2017 and serving as an IOC member—Watanabe seems like a strong contender. Watanabe’s new ambitions come on the heels of a dramatic few weeks, during which his comments notably ruffled even Jordan Chiles’ mother and added yet another layer to this unfolding saga!

Jordan Chiles’ mother, Gina Chiles, wasn’t shy about expressing her displeasure with Watanabe’s “tragedy” comments regarding her daughter’s situation. In a fiery response, she remarked, “This statement is a tragedy. ChatGPT would have done you wonders here 🤦🏽‍♀️. Way to use the devastation this caused as a pitch for new tech. Respectfully READ THE ROOM sir.” Mama Chiles’ reaction is understandable given the ongoing battle Jordan Chiles is waging to reclaim the bronze medal she feels was unjustly stripped from her. Jordan has now escalated her fight to the Swiss courts, hoping for a fair resolution to this protracted ordeal.

Jordan Chiles takes her medal fight to the Swiss Supreme Court

Jordan Chiles and her team have now taken the bronze medal controversy straight to the Swiss Federal Supreme Court. They’re appealing to overturn the CAS ruling that dismissed her appeal to win the bronze medal. Chiles argues that the CAS process was seriously flawed, citing two major issues: first, the CAS ignored video evidence showing her coach’s inquiry was submitted on time, and second, they failed to disclose a conflict of interest.

The head of the CAS panel, Hamid G. Gharavi, had previously represented Romania in legal matters, but this wasn’t communicated to Chiles before the hearing. The legal team also contends that had they known about Romania’s appeal earlier, they could have mounted a much stronger defense for Chiles’s bronze medal. But wait. There’s more!

In response, USA Gymnastics has voiced strong support for Chiles’s appeal, stating, “USA Gymnastics supports the appeal submitted today by Jordan Chiles at the Swiss Federal Tribunal as we made a collective, strategic decision to have Jordan lead the initial filing. USAG is closely coordinating with Jordan and her legal team and will make supportive filings with the court in the continued pursuit of justice for Jordan.” So, the saga continues. Will Jordan Chiles get her bronze medal back, or will it result in yet another setback? Only time will tell. What do you think?