Team USA allegedly has “video evidence” that gymnast Jordan Chiles should keep her medal amid controversy at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“USA Gymnastics on Sunday formally submitted a letter and video evidence to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, conclusively establishing that Head Coach Cecile Landi’s request to file an inquiry was submitted 47 seconds after the publishing of the score, within the 1-minute deadline required by FIG rule,” a statement posted by USA Gymnastics via X read on Sunday, August 11.
The statement noted that in the letter, USA Gymnastics requested that the CAS ruling be “revised” and Chiles’ score of 13.766 be reinstated.
“The basis for the CAS ruling on Friday striking down the inquiry was that ‘The inquiry submitted on behalf of Ms. Jordan Chiles in the Final of the women’s floor exercise was raised after the conclusion of the one-minute deadline provided by article 8.5 of the 2024 FIG Technical Regulations and is determined to be without effect,’” the statement read.
The statement continued, “The time-stamped, video evidence submitted by USA Gymnastics Sunday evening shows Landi first stated her request to file an inquiry at the inquiry table 47 seconds after the score is posted, followed by a second statement 55 seconds after the score was originally posted.”
The upload concluded that 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.”
The caption read, “USA Gymnastics has submitted additional evidence to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.”
While competing in the women’s floor exercise final on Monday, August 5, Romania’s Ana Barbosu was initially announced as the third-place winner. However, moments later, Team USA filed an inquiry into the difficulty of one of Chiles’ moves. The judges agreed with the filing, moving her score from 13.666 to 13.7666 and, in turn, Chiles into the third-place spot.
The next day, Team Romania filed an inquiry into Team USA’s request, noting that it was past the deadline. Days later, the CAS agreed with the request and reverted Chiles’ score back to 13.666.
With Barbosu now in third-place again, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) noted on Sunday that Chiles will be stripped of her medal.
“Following the CAS decision with regard to the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Floor Exercise Final and the amendment of the ranking by the International Gymnastics Federation, the IOC will reallocate the bronze medal to Ana Barbosu,” the IOC’s Sunday statement read. “We are in touch with the NOC of Romania to discuss the reallocation ceremony and with USOPC regarding the return of the bronze medal.”
Hours later, Barbosu reacted to the decision and noted that her “thoughts” are with Chiles and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea. “I know what you are feeling because I’ve been through the same,” she wrote via her Instagram Story on Sunday. “But I know you’ll come back stronger.”
