US gymnast Chiles appeals the decision of Paris 2024 bronze medal

U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles has filed an appeal with the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland, challenging a decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that stripped her of the Olympic bronze medal she won in the women’s floor event at the Paris Games. Chiles lost the medal after Romanian gymnast Ana Maria Barbosu successfully appealed to CAS, arguing that the U.S. team had submitted an inquiry to revise Chiles’s score four seconds past the one-minute deadline set by the International Gymnastics Federation.

This is the video submitted with Jordan Chiles’ appeal to the Swiss court.

It appears to show the score posted at 15:31:53 and at 15:32:55, video shows Cecile Landi walking away from the inquiry table, presumably having already verbally inquired, before turning back briefly. https://t.co/pFojTgbiEX pic.twitter.com/IsaZp098en

— Gymnastics Now (@Gymnastics_Now) September 17, 2024

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The CAS ruling in favor of Barbosu led to Chiles’s score being reduced, dropping her out of third place behind gold medallist Rebeca Andrade of Brazil and silver medallist Simone Biles. In response, Chiles’s legal team argues that video evidence shows the inquiry was submitted within the time limit. They also claim a conflict of interest, pointing out that Hamid Gharavi, the CAS panel president, had long-standing professional ties to Romania and was actively representing the country at the time of the arbitration.

In addition, the appeal claims that Chiles was only notified of the CAS hearing hours before it started, leaving her insufficient time to prepare a defense. Her legal team describes the proceedings as fundamentally unfair, resulting in what they see as an unjust decision. USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee have both expressed support for Chiles in her legal fight.

Chiles, who also won team gold with Simone Biles in Paris, expressed disappointment in the CAS decision but remains hopeful that justice will prevail. A decision from the Swiss court is expected within the next four to six months.