Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu Boycotts Olympics Closing Ceremony Over Gymnastics Judging Controversy
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has announced his decision to boycott the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics. This move is in protest of what he describes as unfair treatment of Romanian gymnasts Ana Bǎrbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea during the women’s floor exercise final.Controversy at the Olympics Floor Exercise Final
The controversy centers around the scoring in the women’s floor exercise final, where Romanian gymnasts Ana Bǎrbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea faced unfavorable judging decisions. Bǎrbosu, who initially appeared to secure a bronze medal, was ultimately pushed into fourth place. The adjustment was prompted by an appeal from American gymnast Jordan Chiles’ team. Chiles’ score was revised from 13.666 to 13.766, allowing her to win bronze and displacing Bǎrbosu from the podium.
Prime Minister Ciolacu’s Reaction
In a strongly worded statement, Prime Minister Ciolacu criticized the judges’ handling of the floor exercise final. He described the treatment of the Romanian athletes as “absolutely dishonorable” and argued that the decision to revise Chiles’ score was unacceptable. “I decided not to participate in the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics due to the scandalous situation in gymnastics. Our athletes were treated in an absolutely dishonorable way,” Ciolacu stated.
He further emphasized, “It is unacceptable that, in a competition that promotes values such as respect and excellence, a girl who honestly earned her medal should be deprived of her reward due to a disputed appeal. This injustice is not something I can accept.”
Global Reaction and Athlete Responses
The decision to alter Chiles’ score has sparked global outrage, including among Romanian fans and the gymnastics community. Chiles later commented on her experience, noting that she was unaware of the appeal process while exhausted after her routine. “I was so tired, I didn’t even realize my coaches were putting in the inquiry. When the revised score came through, I was very proud of myself,” Chiles said.
Maneca-Voinea’s Penalty and Romanian Federation’s Response
Sabrina Maneca-Voinea’s situation also drew criticism. She received a 0.1 point penalty for allegedly stepping out of bounds, a decision disputed by video evidence. The Romanian Gymnastics Federation has requested a detailed review from the International Federation of Gymnastics to address the judging errors.
“The penalty assessed to Sabrina for a hypothetical exit from the mat seems to be a judging error. We have asked for a public explanation of the judging decisions for transparency and to clarify the situation for the athletes, the gymnastics community, and the media,” the Federation stated.
Conclusion
The controversy surrounding the floor exercise final has highlighted significant concerns about the judging process at the Paris Olympics. Prime Minister Ciolacu’s boycott of the closing ceremony underscores the gravity of the situation and the demand for fairness and transparency in Olympic judging.
