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Jordan Chiles has finally broken her silence after the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s (CAS) controversial decision to strip the U.S. gymnast of her Olympic bronze medal.
“I have no words. This decision feels unjust and comes as a significant blow, not just to me but to everyone who has championed my journey,” the 23-year-old wrote in a statement shared on Instagram Thursday.
“To add to the heartbreak, the unprompted racially driven attacks on social media are wrong and extremely hurtful. I’ve poured my heart and soul into this sport, and I am so proud to represent my culture and my country.”
Chiles has been dealing with a frustrating back-and-forth of appeals with the Olympic committees regarding the results of the women’s floor final during the Paris Summer Games on Aug. 5. The Olympian—who also won gold in the team final with Simone Biles, Hezley Rivera, Jade Carey, and Sunisa Lee in Paris—said she is “now confronted with one of the most challenging moments of my career.”
“While celebrating my Olympic accomplishments, I heard the devastating news that my bronze medal had been stripped away.” Chiles said she “had confidence in the appeal brought by USAG, who provided conclusive evidence that my score followed all the rules.” However, “this appeal was ultimately unsuccessful.”
Despite facing this difficult moment, Chiles did not forget to mention her support system.
“I am incredibly grateful to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, USAG, and the USOPC for their unwavering support during this difficult time,” Chiles shared before concluding, “I will approach this challenge as I have others—and I will make every effort to ensure that justice is done.”
“I believe that at the end of this journey, the people in control will do the right thing.”
Last week, CAS ruled that Chiles’ coach, Cecile Landi, was four seconds late in requesting an inquiry to review her score during the final. The inquiry, which was accepted at the time, adjusted an underscore that earned her the bronze medal.
The Romanian National Olympic Committee protested the ruling, triggering a sequence of events that led to the demand for Chiles to return the medal so it could be re-allocated to Romanian gymnast Ana Bărbosu, who retroactively placed third in the event.
USA Gymnastics stated it is fighting the ruling and noted several issues with the proceedings. They also provided time-stamped video evidence showing that Chiles’ coach submitted the inquiry within 47 seconds, well within the one-minute deadline. However, the court maintained that its rules do not allow for a reconsideration of its rulings, even in light of new evidence.
