Earlier this month, gymnastics fans celebrated as Rebeca Andrade, Simone Biles, and Jordan Chiles received medals for their gymnastics floor routines. Images of the two Americans — Biles, who got silver, and Chiles, who got bronze — bowing to the Brazilian, who won gold, immediately went viral. The sight of three Black women supporting one another on the podium (a first for the sport) was thrilling and seemed to symbolize a new era.
But things took a turn a few days later when the Court of Arbitration for Sport said Chiles had to return her medal so it could be given to Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu, who came in fourth. The International Olympic Committee subsequently confirmed the decision to strip Chiles of her medal, sparking widespread outrage. All the while, Chiles has been on the receiving end of racist bullying online. Here’s what we know about the controversy.
Judges admitted to not initially counting one of Chiles’s leaps.
When Chiles — the last gymnast to compete during the floor finals — stepped out to start her routine, Barbosu was in third place. Chiles initially got a score of 13.666, putting her in the fifth-place spot. As Barbosu celebrated, Chiles’s coach, Cécile Canqueteau-Landi, filed an inquiry with the judges, saying they hadn’t given Chiles credit for one of her leaps. The judges and the International Gymnastics Federation agreed with her and adjusted Chiles’s score to 13.766, moving her into third place, ahead of two Romanians.
The Romanian delegation said Chiles’s coach filed her inquiry four seconds too late — but USA Gymnastics authorities disagree.
When a gymnastics score is posted, coaches have one minute to bring up any issues with the score to judges. Romania argued that Chiles’s coach filed her inquiry 64 seconds after Chiles’s score came in — four seconds after the deadline. The Court of Arbitration for Sport apparently agreed, saying that Chiles’s bronze medal should go to Barbosu instead.
After the IOC confirmed the decision to strip Chiles of her medal, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee said it was appealing. In a statement posted to X, USA Gymnastics said it submitted a letter and “time-stamped video evidence” showing “conclusively” that the American team asked for Chiles’s score to be reviewed 47 seconds after the score was revealed.
However, USA Gymnastics said in an Instagram post that the Court of Arbitration for Sport refused to hear the U.S.’s appeal to reinstate Chiles’s medal. “Their rules do not allow for an arbitral award to be reconsidered even when conclusive new evidence is presented,” the post read. “We are deeply disappointed by the notification and will continue to pursue every possible avenue and appeal process, including to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, to ensure the just scoring, placement, and medal award for Jordan.”
Chiles left social media after facing relentless bullying and racism.
Even before the decision to strip Chiles of her medal was announced, her mom, Gina, wrote on X that her daughter has dealt with “racist, disgusting comments.” She added, “My daughter is a highly decorated Olympian with the biggest heart and a level of sportsmanship that is unmatched.” Following the announcement that Chiles would lose her medal, her sister, Jazmin, wrote on her Instagram stories that “racism is real, it exists, it is alive and well,” per People. She added, “They have officially, 5 days later, stripped her of one her medals. Not because she didn’t win, not because she was drugged, not because she stepped out of bounds, not because she wasn’t good enough.”
In a joint statement, the USOPC and USA Gymnastics condemned the racism and bullying that Chiles has dealt with since initially receiving her medal: “Throughout the appeal process, Jordan has been subject to consistent, utterly baseless and extremely hurtful attacks on social media.”
Following the medal controversy, Chiles posted four broken-heart emojis to her Instagram story, writing: “I am taking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health thank you.” She returned to Instagram with a longer statement on Thursday, writing: “I have no words. This decision feels unjust and comes as a significant blow, not just to me, but to everyone who has championed my journey.” She continued: “To add to the heartbreak, the unprompted racially driven attacks on social media are wrong and extremely hurtful. I’ve poured my heart and soul into this sport and I am so proud to represent my culture and my country.”
Barbosu was given the bronze medal in Romania.
On Friday, Barbosu was given the bronze medal in a reallocation ceremony held in Bucharest. According to the Athletic, she spoke during the ceremony saying, “I want to believe that the day will come when all three of us [Barbosu, Chiles, and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea] will receive a bronze medal.”
“I can’t help but think about Sabrina and Jordan as well,” she said. “It’s a tough situation for us with so many uncertainties and overwhelming emotions. I hope everyone understands that we didn’t do anything wrong at the Olympic Games. And that the Olympic spirit is more important than any misunderstanding between the authorities.”
Simone Biles, Suni Lee, and other athletes have rallied behind Chiles.
Chiles’s teammates have shared messages of support. Biles posted a photo of herself hugging Chiles on her Instagram stories, writing, “Sending you so much love Jordan. Keep your chin up Olympic champ! We love you!” Suni Lee reshared USA Gymnastics’ post and asked why Chiles should be punished for a possible error by the judges: “All this talk about the athlete, what about the judges?? Completely unacceptable. This is awful and I’m gutted for Jordan. I got your back forever Jo. U have all my flowers and you will ALWAYS be an Olympic champion.” Jade Carey wrote: “Don’t punish the athlete for someone else’s mistake.”
Meanwhile, six-time Olympic medalist Aly Raisman called the ruling “appalling” and “completely devastating” during an appearance on the Today show. Raisman dealt with a similar situation during the 2012 London Olympics when her coach appealed a balance beam score that took her from fourth place to third.
LeBron James, Flavor Flav, Bernice King, and other prominent figures across sports, activism, and pop culture have also rallied behind Chiles.
Adam Rippon, who won a bronze medal in figure skating, also showed his support for Chiles, asking why the judges accepted Canqueteau-Landi’s inquiry if it was late: “If somebody called me after the official results and podium and told me it’s time to give back the bronze medal — from my cold dead hands.”
This post has been updated.