Why did Jordan Chiles lose her medal at 2024 Olympics after being declared the winner?

For American gymnast Jordan Chiles, what began as a moment of Olympic triumph quickly turned into heartbreak.

Chiles, who previously won silver in the team event at Tokyo 2020 and gold in the team event in Paris 2024, initially received a score that placed her fifth in the women’s floor exercise final at the 2024 Paris Olympics. To improve Chiles’ standing, Cecile Landi, Chiles’ coach and USA Gymnastics coaching staff member, filed an appeal to have an element in Chiles’ routine reevaluated. The judges approved the appeal, resulting in a 0.1-point increase in Chiles’ score. This boost was enough to elevate her from fifth place to third, seemingly securing a bronze medal position.

As the new scores were announced, Chiles and her team celebrated what they thought was her first individual Olympic medal. However, their happiness was short-lived as two can play the contesting game.

Why did Jordan Chiles lose her first individual Olympic medal?

After the change in scores, the Romanian Gymnastics Federation swiftly contested the decision, appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). They argued that the USA’s inquiry came after the allotted one-minute deadline for appeals. The CAS investigation revealed that Landi’s appeal was indeed filed four seconds too late, at 1 minute and 4 seconds after the score was posted.

In a stunning turn of events, the CAS ruled in favor of Romania’s appeal. The decision effectively nullified the USA’s inquiry and reverted Chiles’ score to its original value. This ruling stripped Chiles of her bronze medal and rearranged the event’s final standings. Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu was reinstated as the bronze medalist, while her teammate Sabrina Maneca-Voinea placed fourth. Chiles, who had briefly tasted victory, was back in fifth place.

Chiles received an outpouring of support from her teammates and fans. Most notably Simone Biles, her longtime friend and fellow Olympian. Biles shared a heartfelt message of encouragement on social media, reminding Chiles of her accomplishments and strength.

While it might sting to lose an Olympic medal, it’s important to remember that Chiles’ performance is still noteworthy despite the absence of the bronze medal. After all, a mere 0.1 point difference in her score was enough to shift her placement from fifth to third and back. With presentations scored so close to each other, there’s an argument for both Chiles and the Romanian duo to take a medal home. Unfortunately, the strict rules of the Olympic games prevent a harmonious solution like that.