Why Was Jordan Chiles Stripped of a Bronze Medal? Explained

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On Saturday August 10, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that American gymnast Jordan Chiles might not be a bronze medal winner for the gymnastics floor exercise final, after an initial inquiry on her score. What happened?

During the finals, Chiles was initially given a 13.666 score for her performance in floor gymnastics. However, her Team USA coach, Cecile Landi, submitted an inquiry on her score, giving her a 0.1 pt boost and earning her a bronze medal at the event. She then replaced Romania’s Ana Bărbosu and Sabrina Voinea, bumping them to fourth and fifth place.

Not well! Romania Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu protested attending the closing ceremony over the treatment of their athletics after the decision was called. On August 9, Chiles’s mother, Gina, also responded to the racist comments Jordan has received since she won her medal.

CAS claims that Coach Landi’s inquiry happened one minute and four seconds after the score was called, a.k.a. four seconds too late. However, at the time, the inquiry was accepted, and the committee changed Chiles’s score accordingly. However, five days after the competition, they voided the original appeal, restoring the original scores of the line-up. There has been no word on if she has to return her bronze medal or not.

Yep, and it’s fair to say no one is happy about the decision. Chiles posted broken heart emojis online, with a message that she’ll be taking a break from social media for her “mental health,” hinting at the overturned decision. Simone Biles posted on Instagram stories in support of her teammate, “sending you so much love Jordan. keep your chin up Olympic champ! we love you!” Below are more responses from Chile’s family, her teammates, and Team USA.