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Jordan Chiles has a few words for her fans and bullies following the International Olympic Committee's “unjust” decision to strip the gymnast of her new 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,” Chiles wrote in a lengthy Instagram message posted five days after she announced a social-media break to focus on her mental health. “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 the sport and I am so proud to represent my culture and my country.”
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Jordan Chiles took home the bronze medal for her incredible floor routine at the Paris Olympics on August 5. Though her initial score put the 23-year-old in fifth place, Chiles’s coach, Cecile Landi, asked judges to review her routine’s difficulty value, which they agreed had been scored too low. In response, the judges bumped her score up to 13.766, putting her in third place ahead of Romanian gymnast Ana Bărbosu.
On August 10, however, her triumphant victory took a “devastating” turn when the Court of Arbitration for Sport recommended the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) reinstate the original rankings, claiming Coach Landi’s inquiry came four seconds outside the one-minute deadline. A day later, the International Olympic Committee upheld CAS’s controversial decision, calling on Chiles to return her bronze medal—even though literally no one wants that. While the Romanian Olympic Committee appealed the final scores, they suggested the bronze should be shared between Chiles, Bărbosu, and Romanian gymnast Sabrina Maneca-Voinea, who seems to have been scored incorrectly as well.
Team USA appealed the IOC’s decision, allegedly providing “conclusive” video evidence that Coach Landi’s request fell within the one-minute deadline. That appeal was denied, prompting Chiles’s return to social media.
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In her message, Chiles expressed gratitude for the love and support she’s received throughout this heart-wrenching week and outlined her plans moving forward. “I will never waver from my values of competing with integrity, striving for excellence, upholding the value of sportsmanship and the rules that dictate fairness,” she promised. ”I have taken pride in cheering on everyone regardless of team or country. Finding joy again has been a culture shift and I love seeing others embrace it. I feel like I have given everyone permission to be authentic to who they are.”
She continued, “I am now confronted with one of the most challenging moments of my career. Believe me when I say I have had many. I will approach this challenge as I have others—and will make sure that justice is done. I believe at the end of this journey, the people in control will do the right thing.”
