Following the Court of Arbitration of Sport’s controversial ruling against Jordan Chiles’ floor exercise routine, her fellow members of Team USA are standing in solidarity.
“Sending you so much love Jordan,” Simone Biles wrote via Instagram Story on Saturday, August 10. “Keep your chin up, Olympic champ! We love you!”
The CAS confirmed on Saturday that they as judges improperly granted Team USA’s inquiry about Chiles’ floor routine difficulty, reverting her score back to the initial 13.666. The boosted score had bumped Chiles, 23, up to receive the bronze medal, her first individual Olympic prize.
After the meet earlier this week, Chiles and Biles, 27, were elated by the score change.
“Shut the f—k up,” Biles exclaimed, running to give Chiles a hug.
Biles took silver in the event behind Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade. With Chiles, it was the first time the gymnastics podium honored three Black women.
The Saturday ruling, however, has not formally stripped Chiles of the bronze medal.
“The Applicants sought a ruling from the CAS Ad hoc Division concluding that the Inquiry was filed beyond the 1-minute deadline specified in art. 8.5 of FIG 2024 Technical Regulations (i.e. 1 minute and 4 seconds) and dismissing the Inquiry as untimely, thereby upholding the initial score of 13.666 and adjusting the final ranking accordingly,” the CAS’ statement reads. “The Applicants also sought a conclusion that the penalty of 0.1 for execution imposed on Ms Sabrina Maneca-Voinea was given without basis, thereby increasing her score to 13.800, and that the final ranking be adjusted accordingly.”
According to the statement, Team Romania — including Ana Barbosu, who initially earned bronze before Chiles’ score was changed — requested to allow Chiles to share the placement with Barbosu, 18, and Sabina Maneca-Voinea. (Romania’s inquiry into Maneca-Voinea’s ranking was denied during the competition.)
USA Gymnastics subsequently issued a response to the new ruling.
“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,” a Saturday statement read. “Throughout the appeal process, Jordan has been subject to consistent, utterly baseless and extremely hurtful attacks on social media.”
The note added, “No athlete should be subject to such treatment. We condemn the attacks and those who engage, support or instigate them. We commend Jordan for conducting herself with integrity both on and off the competition floor, and we continue to stand by and support her.”
Suni Lee, Biles and Chiles’ teammate, reposted the statement onto her Instagram Story on Saturday.
Lee, 21, wrote, “All this talk about the athlete, what about the judges?? Completely unacceptable. This is awful and I’m gutted for you, Jordan. I got your back forever, Jo. You will ALWAYS be an Olympic champion.”
Teammate Hezly Rivera also shared the USA statement on her page, writing, “Love you @jordanchiles and will always support you.”
Fellow USA gymnast Jade Carey also condemned the ruling in a message via her Instagram Story.
“Don’t punish the athlete for someone else’s mistake,” Carey, 24, wrote via her Instagram Story on Saturday. “[I’m] with you all the way, Jo. You are forever an Olympic champion [who] has so much to be proud of.”
Aly Raisman, a retired gymnast in Paris reporting on the Games, was also disappointed.
“Don’t have the words right now. But this is so unacceptable & heartbreaking. No athlete should ever go through this. This is unfair & cruel,” Raisman, 30, wrote via X. “Athlete fairness & athlete mental health matters. Athletes should not suffer from mistakes that are out of their control. & the bullying must stop!”
