Olympic gymnast, Jordan Chiles, spoke at the Forbes Power Women’s Summit in New York about the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision to strip her of her bronze medal. Chiles, who won the medal in the Olympic women’s gymnastics floor exercise, was forced to hand her medal to Romania’s Ana Bărbosu after the Romanian Gymnastics Federation successfully appealed claiming Cecile Landi, Chiles’ coach, submitted a score inquiry outside of the allowed time frame. However, Chiles’ speech resonated as she explained she felt she’d lost more than just a medal. She believed the controversy was about more than her sporting success, discussing her personal struggles relating to her skin color and her identity as an athlete, saying, “The biggest thing that was taken from me was the recognition of who I was.”
The interview at the summit marked Chiles’ first in-depth discussion of the matter since the IOC’s decision. The controversy began when she moved from fifth to third place in the women’s gymnastics floor exercise after her score was increased slightly. The elevation in the rankings was short-lived, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling that her coach’s appeal fell four seconds outside the inquiry period. This ruling led to the International Gymnastics Federation demoting Chiles to fifth place and reallocating the bronze medal.
Chiles, feeling unsupported and “kept in the dark” during the controversy, criticized the appeal process for not listening or acknowledging the rules that were in place. She recalls a time in 2018 when she said she felt a similar sentiment of her voice being unheard when an emotionally and verbally abusive coach cause her to lose her love for the sport. In her discussion, she stressed her belief in abiding by the rules throughout the competition.
However, USA Gymnastics insists there is video evidence showing Landi submitted the appeal 47 seconds after the results were posted, 13 seconds before the inquiry window closed. This alternative claim suggests there was not enough time for proper presentation of their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Chiles previously referred to the appeal decision as “unjust” and “a significant blow” to her and her supporters. She has also faced “the unprompted racially driven attacks on social media,” which she deemed as “wrong and extremely hurtful.”
Chiles reiterated at the summit that she and her coach adhered to the rules and took the correct measures during the floor exercise. Declaring, “I made history and I will always continue to make history,” she voiced her displeasure with the decision, noting the larger implications beyond just her personal experience.
Despite the controversy, Chiles, a gold medalist for the women’s team competition as well, refuses to be deterred. She plans to return to UCLA for the upcoming college gymnastics season. Further, the gymnast was gifted a bronze clock by Flavor Flav at the Video Music Awards as a consolation prize, following his promise to give her one once her medal was taken away. The incident provides a stark reminder of the complexities of official decisions in sports, where beyond the athletic performances, issues of identity, representation, and fair play are part of an ongoing dialogue.
