It has been a tough time for Jordan Chiles. Winning an Olympic medal and standing at the podium is a moment athletes cherish for a lifetime. For Chiles, however, this has turned out to be a nightmare, as she is about to lose her medal. In this tough time, Suni Lee and the gymnastics community as a whole have come together to back Jordan Chiles. After losing her appeal, the gymnast was ordered to give back her bronze medal. She took to Instagram to release a statement. This was the first time she spoke about the incident since the event. She thanked everyone in the community for their support during these tough times but revealed that she has also been the subject of racist attacks after the fiasco.

Many people from the gymnast community commented on her post, displaying their backing. Fellow teammate Suni Lee commented, “Love you.” This was not the first time that she had shown her support to Chiles since the incident. After the court dismissed the appeal by the US, Lee took to her Instagram Story and said, “All this talk about the athlete, what about the judges?? Completely unacceptable. This is awful, and I’m gutted for you, Jordan. I got your back forever, Jo. You will ALWAYS be an Olympic champion.”

USA Gymnastics also had some wholesome words of support for her. They said, “The medal is bronze, but your heart is gold and no one can take that away. We’re with you until the end.” They have fought tooth and nail for the athlete to get back her bronze medal and also submitted all the proof required to substantiate the claim that the appeal was done in the correct manner but to no avail.

After the appeal was rejected, they had this to say on the matter: “No athlete should be subject to such treatment. We condemn the attacks and those who engage, support or instigate them. We commend Jordan for conducting herself with integrity both on and off the competition floor, and we continue to stand by and support her.”

She received further support from Simone Biles, her best friend, and Teamate, who won the silver medal in the event, as she posted her statement in her story as well. Previously, Simone spoke up when Chiles’ appeal became void. In her Instagram Story, she wrote, “Sending you so much love Jordan.” She added, “Keep your chin up, Olympic champ! We love you!” Numerous other of Chile’s teammates sent their support.

What’s new in the Jordan Chiles vs. Romania fiasco?

Jordan Chiles losing her bronze medal has turned into one of the biggest Olympic dramas of the year. Initially placed fifth in the floor exercise finals, Chiles was moved up to third after a U.S. appeal, bumping Romania’s Ana Barbosu out of the medals. Chiles got her bronze, and everything seemed perfect—until it wasn’t.

Fast forward to now, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has given Romania the go-ahead to award Barbosu a bronze medal, thanks to a CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) ruling. This decision comes despite Chiles still holding onto her medal and U.S. officials challenging the ruling. The USOPC revealed on August 14th that crucial communications from CAS were sent to the wrong email addresses at USOPC and USA Gymnastics between August 6–9. This mistake wasn’t corrected until August 9—three days after the filing, two days past the objection deadline, and less than 24 hours before the hearing.

Paris 2024 Olympics – Artistic Gymnastics – Women’s Team Final – Bercy Arena, Paris, France – July 30, 2024. Jordan Chiles of United States during the Women’s Team Final. REUTERS/Amanda PerobelliThis left the USOPC scrambling for time to respond and gather evidence. They also produced a time-stamped video showing their appeal was filed 47 seconds after Chiles’ score was given, well within the one-minute deadline, contrary to CAS’s claim of a late submission. Despite this proof, CAS refused to re-open the case, leaving the USOPC feeling they were denied a fair chance to present their case.

Amid this ongoing debacle, the U.S. and Romanian officials had suggested awarding bronze medals to both Chiles and Barbosu, but FIG (International Gymnastics Federation) rejected this. Now, Romania is moving forward with its own medal ceremony. So, while the saga of Chiles and Barbosu continues, it seems the only thing moving faster than the medal ceremonies are the controversies surrounding them. What do you think about the incredible support Jordan Chiles is getting from the community? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!