The drama in the USA-Romania gymnastics saga continues. Just a week ago, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that Jordan Chiles must forfeit her Olympic bronze medal. However, new video evidence from U.S. lawyers shows Chiles’s coach, Cécile Landi, did not err in her appeal; the Romanian gymnast went out of bounds during her floor exercise, leading to the score adjustment. Despite this startling new evidence, CAS has stated it cannot reopen the case. As Ana Barbosu prepares to receive the medal in Bucharest on August 16, the plot thickens!

Now it turns out there are some eyebrow-raising details about the CAS panel that made this decision! Hamid G. Gharavi, who chaired the CAS panel, was found to have represented the Romanian government on more than one occasion in the last decade. Mr. Gharavi is currently serving as Romania’s legal counsel at the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment.

When all else fails, athletes seeking a fair judgment turn to the Court of Arbitration for Sports. Hence, it’s paramount that the judges who preside over CAS cases remain unbiased. However, the New York Times reported that “Mr. Gharavi won a case on behalf of Romania as recently as June.” This revelation fueled a fresh wave of uproar from Jordan Chiles fans, as many don’t see him as unbiased.

The report also mentioned that each judge, including the France-based lawyer, had to sign a form before their appointment. This form exists to determine if panel members have any conflict of interest. They disclose their bias (or lack thereof) based on three options: No conflict, partial conflict, and potential conflict, before they’re put in charge. Yet, there’s a catch.

According to reports, each CAS panel member must complete a conflict of interest declaration before their appointment. They must indicate whether there is no conflict, a partial conflict, or a potential conflict. Even if a significant conflict is declared, arbitrators can explain why they should still preside over the case. However, the specifics of how these declarations were handled in this case remain unclear, as CAS hearings are conducted behind closed doors.

However three experts from the Institute for Conflict Resolution have also questioned the appointment of Hamid G. Gharavi as head of the CAS panel in the Jordan Chiles case. “Is it realistic to expect such arbitrator can decide against the interests of that country or of that country’s gymnast, who in this case is represented by the Federation of Romanian Gymnasts?” questioned the experts.

CAS has defended its decision, stating that it adhered to the International Bar Association’s guidelines and that none of the parties involved objected to Gharavi’s appointment. Unfortunately for Chiles and her supporters, this discovery and the new evidence by the U.S. lawyers came too late to alter the outcome of the case.

However, U.S. Olympic and Gymnastics bodies have refused to quietly accept the ruling. They plan to appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal to reopen the case. The tribunal has ruled against bias in 2021, ordering the CAS to reopen a case against Chinese swimmers. However, the chances of that happening again are low to none.

The Swiss Federal Tribunal doesn’t consider new evidence procured after a hearing. Hence, it seems Jordan Chiles may not get another chance to get the medal back, despite concrete evidence. Needless to say, the Team USA gymnast and her family were devastated by the ruling.

Hertbroken Jordan Chiles has decided to step away from the spotlight

The 23-year-old gymnast made history at Paris 2024 becoming a part of the first all-black gymnastics podium. However, despite earning her first individual Olympic medal (albeit temporarily), she faced relentless backlash on social media. In fact, the gymnast even had to face racial attacks as the debacle unfolded. Then came the CAS ruling and the order to surrender the bronze medal.

Chiles, who has fought to regain her mental health, stepped away from all social media platforms following the ruling and the heartbreak. However, Jordan Chiles’ family members have not remained silent. “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,” wrote Gina Chiles.

The Olympian’s sister, Jazmin Chiles, also took to social media after details on Hamid G. Gharavi surfaced. “We’ll that’s interesting…” the Pan-Am champion’s sister wrote in her Instagram story. Yet, the question remains: will the concerning revelation about Mr. Gharavi’s association with Romain change anything? The CAS has already denied any possibility of reopening the case, despite newfound evidence. Will U.S. officials find a way forward at the Swiss Federal Tribunal? Only time will tell.