Jordan Chiles is speaking out for the first time since the International Olympic Committee decided to strip her of her bronze medal. On Thursday, the Team USA gymnast issued a statement sharing her disappointment with the sporting organization’s “unjust” decision to take her medal and give it to Team Romania.
Chiles started her post by thanking fans, coaches, and USA Gymnastics for their “unwavering support,” but called the IOC’s decision to take her medal “devastating” and admitted that she “had confidence” the USAG’s appeal would return her medal.
“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 wrote. “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,” she added.
Over the weekend, Chiles learned that her bronze was in jeopardy after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that her score must revert to 13.666, which would place her in fifth and give third place to gymnast Ana Barbosu of Romania, who scored 13.700 and whose country filed the CAS appeal.
At the Games, Chiles’ coaches appealed to the judges, arguing that her routine’s level of difficulty was incorrect; the judges agreed, and when the score was adjusted by 0.1, Chiles’ new score of 13.766 was enough to surpass Barbosu and Voinea’s 13.700, giving her the bronze at the last minute.
However, after Romania’s appeal, the CAS found that Team USA’s appeal came after one minute and four seconds — coaches have one minute to appeal a score after judging — and thus the CAS voided Team USA’s appeal and dropped Chiles’ score back down to 13.666 and fifth place. USAG responded with an appeal that seemed to prove the team’s request came before the allotted 60 seconds, but the decision stayed the same.
“I will never waver from my values of competing with integrity, striving for excellence, upholding the values of sportsmanship and the rules that dictate fairness,” Chiles wrote. “I have taken pride in cheering on everyone regardless of team or country. Finding joy again has been a culture shift and I love seeing others embrace it. I feel like I have given everyone permission to be authentic to who they are.”
Chiles ended her post by sharing her hope that the “people in control will do the right thing” and will continue fighting for justice.
“I am now confronted with one of the most challenging moments of my career. Believe me when I say I have had many,” she wrote. “I will approach this challenge as I have others — and will make every effort to ensure that justice is done.”