A ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) could have consequences for American gymnast Jordan Chiles. The bronze medallist in the floor final at the Paris 2024 Olympics could be forced to return her medal due to a controversial decision on an appeal filed by her team.
The CAS determined that the appeal filed by Chiles’ team to review its score exceeded the established time limit. As a result, the gymnast’s original score should have been maintained, which would leave her off the podium. However, the sports body has not yet decided what the new order of the medals will be.
The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) will be in charge of determining the distribution of the medals in the floor final. This decision has generated great controversy, especially after the strong criticism received by Chiles on social networks after winning the bronze medal.
What does the CAS ruling say?
The CAS ruling has generated a wave of criticism and reactions. “The Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) shall determine the ranking of the Final of the women’s floor exercise and assign the medal(s) by the above decision,” CAS said in its ruling.
Gold medalist Rebeca Andrade (C) of Team Brazil, silver medalist Simone Biles (L) of Team United States and bronze medalist Jordan Chiles (R) of Team United States celebrate on the podium at the Artistic Gymnastics Women’s Floor Exercise Medal Ceremony. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
A controversial case that generates controversy at the Paris 2024 Olympics
Both USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic Committee have expressed disappointment with the decision, defending the legitimacy of the appeal filed by the Chiles team.
For her part, Jordan Chiles has been the target of attacks on social media, accusing her of “stealing” the bronze medal. The gymnast has decided to stay away from social media to take care of her mental health.
The Future of Chiles in Doubt
The prospect of losing the bronze medal is a blow to Jordan Chiles, who had expressed his joy at achieving an individual podium finish at his second Olympics. The gymnast had been a key player on the U.S. team that won the gold medal in the team competition.
The case of Chiles has generated a debate about transparency and fairness in the gymnastics scoring system. The CAS decision raises questions about appeal procedures and the protection of athletes from criticism and attacks on social media.
