Olympic Gymnastics Star Jordan Chiles Fights for Justice in Bronze Medal Scandal

Jordan Chiles, an American Olympic gymnastics star, is fighting for justice in the bronze medal scandal that overshadowed the 2024 Paris Games. Chiles was awarded the bronze medal in the floor exercise routine, but Romanian officials appealed the decision, and the Center of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned Chiles' score and stripped her of the medal.

Jordan Chiles, an American Olympic gymnastics star, is fighting for justice in the bronze medal scandal that overshadowed the 2024 Paris Games. Chiles was awarded the bronze medal in the floor exercise routine, but Romanian officials appealed the decision, and the Center of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned Chiles' score and stripped her of the medal.

Chiles and her legal team have filed an appeal with the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland, arguing that the CAS decision was procedurally deficient because they were not given the opportunity to present evidence that their inquiry was submitted on time. They also allege that the CAS proceeding was unfair because Chiles was not properly informed that the President of the CAS panel that revoked her medal had a conflict of interest.

Olympic Gymnastics Star Jordan Chiles Fights for Justice in Bronze Medal Scandal

The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and USA Gymnastics are supporting Chiles' appeal. Chiles has spoken out about the incident, saying that it is not just about the medal, but about the fact that she has been facing "racially driven attacks" from social media users.

The bronze medal scandal has sparked a debate about the fairness of the judging system in gymnastics. Some experts have argued that the system is biased against certain gymnasts, particularly those who are not white.

Olympic Gymnastics Star Jordan Chiles Fights for Justice in Bronze Medal Scandal

The CAS decision to overturn Chiles' score was controversial. Many people believe that Chiles was the rightful winner of the bronze medal, and that the decision to strip her of the medal was unfair.

The Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland is expected to rule on Chiles' appeal in the coming months. The outcome of the appeal will have implications for the future of gymnastics judging.

Olympic Gymnastics Star Jordan Chiles Fights for Justice in Bronze Medal Scandal

Here are some additional details about the case:

* Chiles was awarded the bronze medal in the floor exercise routine at the end of the Paris Games when her coaches filed a score inquiry after her performance.

* Chiles was elevated from fifth to third place.

* Romanian officials brought their own appeal to the CAS, which overturned Chiles’ score and stripped her of a medal.

* Chiles and her lawyers are now going to a higher court.

* Chiles asks the Supreme Court to find that the CAS decision was procedurally deficient for two reasons.

* First, CAS violated Chiles’ fundamental ‘right to be heard’ by refusing to consider the video evidence that showed her inquiry was submitted on time – in direct contradiction to the findings in CAS’ decision.

* Second, the entire CAS proceeding was unfair because Chiles was not properly informed that Hamid G. Gharavi, the President of the CAS panel that revoked Chiles’s bronze medal and awarded it instead to a Romanian gymnast, had a serious conflict of interest: Mr. Gharavi has acted as counsel for Romania for almost a decade and was actively representing Romania at the time of the CAS arbitration.

* Today’s appeal filing was supported by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), which filed a letter in support of Chiles’ appeal.

* USA Gymnastics said it was working closely with Chiles and her team in the "continued pursuit of justice for Jordan."

* Chiles gave her first sit-down interview about the incident this week during a panel at the Forbes Power Women's Summit 2024 on Wednesday.

* The gymnast noticeably choked up when she was asked about the topic.

* "To me, everything that has gone on is not about the medal, it's about, you know, my skin color," Chiles said, tearing up.

* Chiles previously claimed she was facing "racially driven attacks" from social media users in a statement posted to X on Aug. 15.

* When Chiles won the bronze medal, it resulted in the first gymnastics podium in Olympic history that featured three Black contestants.