Controversy Surrounding Jordan Chiles’ Olympic Floor Routine Intensifies
The debate over Jordan Chiles’ Olympic floor routine at the Paris Olympics continues to escalate as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) maintains its decision favoring Romania’s Ana Bărbosu as the rightful bronze medalist. This verdict has prompted the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to request that American gymnast Jordan Chiles return the bronze medal she initially received.
In a recent media statement, CAS confirmed that during its hearing with Romanian and U.S. officials, there was no disagreement regarding USA Gymnastics (USAG) missing the one-minute deadline to contest Chiles’ floor exercise score. Initially, Olympic judges had revised Chiles’ score, elevating her to the bronze medal position and displacing Bărbosu from the podium.
CAS clarified in its release: “At the hearing, there was no dispute between the parties that Ms. Chiles’ inquiry was submitted 1 minute and 4 seconds after her score was officially displayed on the scoreboard. All parties accepted as clear and determinative the report prepared by Omega, the official timekeeper for the Olympic Games, and submitted by the FIG itself. No party sought the admittance of other evidence.”
USAG has stated that it did not acquire video evidence, which it claims demonstrates that its inquiry was submitted after just 47 seconds, until after CAS had rendered its decision. “The video footage provided was not available to USA Gymnastics prior to the tribunal’s decision and thus USAG did not have the opportunity to previously submit it,” USAG commented.
Furthermore, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and USAG have raised concerns that CAS initially sent critical communications to incorrect email addresses, which hindered their ability to adequately prepare for the hearing. “The USOPC strongly contests the CAS decision due to significant procedural errors,” USOPC told CNN. They highlighted that from August 6-9, CAS sent essential communications to incorrect email addresses at USOPC and USAG, a mistake not corrected until August 9—three days post-filing, two days past the deadline for objections, and less than 24 hours before the hearing. “This deprived us of adequate time to respond meaningfully or gather necessary evidence. We informed CAS of our objections immediately.”
Both USOPC and USAG are committed to appealing the decision. “Our pursuit of truth in this matter remains unwavering,” stated USOPC. On Monday, USAG expressed its determination to “continue to pursue every possible avenue and appeal process, including to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, to ensure the just scoring, placement, and medal award for Jordan.”
USAG has also voiced apprehensions regarding Dr. Hamid G. Gharavi, who has represented Romania in previous arbitration cases, presiding over the CAS panel. While CAS asserts that none of the parties involved objected to Gharavi’s appointment, USAG claims it was not informed of his past affiliations with Romania. “CAS did not send the conflict-of-interest disclosures of any panelist to USA Gymnastics, nor have we seen the disclosures to date,” read their statement.
Last week, Jordan Chiles shared her emotional turmoil by posting broken heart emojis on her Instagram story and announced her decision to take a break from social media for her mental health. The unfolding events continue to captivate the public’s attention as the dispute over the Olympic floor routine rolls on.
