Jordan Chiles’ sister is fuming over the controversy surrounding the gymnast’s bronze medal win.
After the Court of Arbitration of Sport ruled that Chiles was granted a third-place finish in individual floor exercise in error on Saturday, August 10, Jazmin Chiles said via Instagram Story that the drama around Chiles’ first-ever individual medal was unprecedented in Olympic history.
“In the history of the Olympics, no one has ever been stripped of their medal for this,” she wrote. “There are only two ways you can be stripped of your medal: cheating or doping. She did neither.”
Chiles won third over two Romanian gymnasts after Team USA questioned her original judges’ score. An inquiry into the score at the time bumped up Chiles’ results just enough to get her on the podium over Romania’s Ana Maria Bărbosu and Sabina Maneca-Voinea. Romania appealed the decision to the CAS and that court found the inquiry had been granted even though Team USA had run over the time limit for challenges by four seconds.
“Four seconds. Her bronze was stripped over four seconds that would have never needed to happen if the judges did their job,” Jazmin wrote of the decision. “Racism is real, it exists, it is alive and well.”
It’s worth noting that Chiles has not been stripped of her bronze medal. The Romanian team has asked that the standings be changed so that all three gymnasts can share third place. Ultimately, it is up to the International Olympic Committee to decide how to respond to the ruling.
Jordan’s family members say that the controversy around her win has brought out an intense wave of racist comments against both Jordan and her family members. Chiles’ mother Gina shared via X on Friday, August 9, that bigots have regularly attacked her daughter since the competition ended.
“The racist disgusting comments are still happening in 2024,” Gina wrote. “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.”
Jordan shared that she was taking a break from social media following the backlash to her win. “I am taking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health,” she wrote via Instagram Story on Saturday. “Thank you.”
Jazmin asked for “prayers” for her family as they deal with the intense scrutiny and online hate. “I love you, baby sis. And I got yo back no matter what,” she wrote.
