Jordan Chiles’ rival gymnast breaks silence after USA athlete was ordered to return bronze medal
Team USA gymnast Jordan Chiles being stripped of her Olympics bronze medal was truly shocking news - and now the gymnast who could be awarded one in her place has spoken out.
The decision was announced yesterday (11 August) following an inquiry.
Chiles was jubilant after her initial score of 13.666 in the final was later upgraded to 13.766, which placed her third and allowed her to win bronze, and put her further ahead than Romanian athlete, Ana Barbosu.
She now places fifth, behind Romanian athlete Sabrina Mancea-Voinea, too.
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Simone Biles took home silver, and Brazil's Rebeca Andrade won gold.
In a shocking twist, an appeal from the Romanian Olympic Committee led to Chiles losing her medal.
Chiles wrote on Instagram following the decision: "I am taking this time to remove myself from social media for my mental health thank you", alongside broken heart emojis.
Barbosu has since spoken out, stating on Instagram: "Jordan, my thoughts are with you. I know what you are feeling because I’ve been through the same. But I know you’ll come back stronger.
"I hope from deep of my heart that at the next Olympics, all three of us will share the same podium. That is my true dream.
"The situation would not have existed if the persons in charge had respected the regulation. We, as athletes, are not to be blamed, and the hate directed to us is painful. I wanted to end this edition of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in the spirit of Olympism, the true value of the world."
The decision was made following the decision of The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
They upheld the appeal from the Romanian Olympic Committee, which made the claim that the inquiry into Chiles' score was made four seconds outside of the one-minute window for appeals - so, as a result, would need to be disregarded.
Due to Chiles going last in the final, her coach only had one minute to file the inquiry.
Athletes performing before Chiles would have had approximately three or four minutes until the next gymnast began their performance.
Following Chiles' medal being stripped, the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee have confirmed they will be filing their own appeal.
They said: “We firmly believe that Jordan rightfully earned the bronze medal, and there were critical errors in both the initial scoring by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and the subsequent CAS appeal process that need to be addressed.
“Given these circumstances, we are committed to pursuing an appeal to help Jordan Chiles receive the recognition she deserves.
“We remain dedicated to supporting her as an Olympic champion and will continue to work diligently to resolve this matter swiftly and fairly.”
Her teammate Biles added: "Sending you so much love Jordan, keep your chin up Olympic champ! We love you!”
Kya Buller