US gymnast Jordan Chiles was stripped of her medal on a technicality. That's not why people are mad.

US gymnast Jordan Chiles has been stripped of her Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medal following a controversial ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The decision, based on a four-second delay in filing an inquiry by her coach, has not only cost Chiles her place on the podium, but also sparked outrage, with many calling the move unjust and racially motivated.

Jordan Chiles was initially awarded a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. Credit: Getty

The controversy began with a four-second delay.

The controversy began on August 5 during the women's individual floor exercise final at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

Chiles initially finished fifth, with Romanian gymnasts Ana Bărbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea appearing to secure third and fourth place, respectively. However, Team USA quickly appealed Chiles' score, arguing that a minor calculation error had undervalued her performance. 

The appeal was successful, and Chiles' score was increased by 0.1, boosting her from fifth to third place and bumping Bărbosu out of the medal position.

Romania then contested the timing of the appeal, arguing that it was submitted four seconds past the one-minute deadline permitted for such inquiries. Five days later, CAS ruled in favour of Romania on August 11. In the ruling, they stated that the appeal had been invalid due to the missed deadline.

Jordan Chiles. Image; Getty

As a result, Chiles' adjusted score was voided, and her original score of 13.666 was reinstated, which dropped her back to fifth place. The bronze medal was awarded to Bărbosu, while Maneca-Voinea remained in fourth place.

X account The Medal Count explained the appeal rule, saying, "Gymnasts get four minutes to submit an inquiry, except for the LAST gymnast to compete who gets only one minute. Jordan Chiles submitted an inquiry at one minute and four seconds, missing the limit by four seconds."

Jazmin Chiles called the ruling "racist".

The ruling has ignited a firestorm of criticism, with many questioning the fairness of the decision and the integrity of the gymnastics judging process. 

Chiles' sister, Jazmin Chiles, publicly denounced the ruling, calling it racist. 

"Racism is real, it exists, it is alive and well," she wrote on Instagram. "They have officially, five days later, stripped her of one of her medals. Not because she didn't win, not because she was drugged, not because she stepped out of bounds."

"Not because she wasn't good enough. But because the judges failed to give her difficulty and forced an inquiry to be made."

Jazmin also highlighted that in the history of the Olympics, no one has ever been stripped of a medal for such a reason. 

"Just so y'all aware — In the HISTORY of the Olympics NO ONE has ever been stripped of their medal for this," Jazmin emphasised. "There are only TWO ways you can be stripped of a medal. Cheating or doping. She did neither."

She continued her fight on behalf of Jordan by joining the conversation on X (formerly Twitter), where she further criticised the decision and called out the racial undertones in the backlash against her sister. 

Jordan Chiles stepped away from social media.

The backlash on social media has been so intense that Jordan Chiles announced that she will be taking a break from social media to protect her mental health. 

"I am taking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health, thank you," she wrote on Instagram, accompanied by four broken heart emojis.

Chiles' mother, Gina Chiles, condemned the racist comments being directed at her daughter.

"The racist disgusting comments are still happening in 2024," Gina wrote on X. "I'm tired of people who say it no longer exists. 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."

Credit: Getty

The gymnastics community's outrage.

USA Gymnastics and the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee expressed their profound disappointment with the ruling. In a joint statement, they said they were "devastated" by the decision. 

"The inquiry into the Difficulty Value of Jordan Chiles' floor exercise routine was filed in good faith and, we believed, in accordance with FIG rules to ensure accurate scoring," the statement read. 

They also condemned the attacks against Chiles, emphasising that "no athlete should be subject to such treatment".

Chiles' fellow gymnasts have also rallied around her. 

Olympic gold medallist Suni Lee expressed her outrage on Instagram, and pointed out the disproportionate focus on the athlete rather than the judges. 

"All this talk about the athlete, what about the judges? This is awful and I’m gutted for Jordan. I got your back forever, Jo. You have all my flowers and you will ALWAYS be an Olympic champion," Lee wrote.

Olympic legend Simone Biles offered her support as well, posting, "Sending you so much love Jordan. Keep your chin up, Olympic champ. We love you!"

Jordan Chiles and Simone Biles. Credit: Getty

The ruling has sparked political tensions.

The decision has not only affected Chiles but has also sparked political tensions. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu initially threatened to boycott the closing ceremony in protest of what he described as unfair treatment of Romanian gymnasts. 

However, after the CAS ruling, Ciolacu declared, "Justice has been served. In the end, truth prevailed".

As of now, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) has confirmed that it has amended the results to reflect the CAS decision. 

However, the fate of the bronze medal itself remains uncertain, as it is up to the International Olympic Committee to determine whether Chiles will be required to return the medal or if some other resolution will be found. 

Despite the ruling, the question remains: Should athletes like Jordan Chiles bear the consequences of procedural errors by officials, or should the focus shift to holding those in charge accountable? 

The gymnastics community is left grappling with this issue, and the fallout from this decision is likely to resonate far beyond the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

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