American Olympic gymnastics great Aly Raisman called the bronze medal controversy surrounding Jordan Chiles “devastating” on Monday as the Paris Games closed.
Chiles may have to give up the bronze medal she was awarded after finishing in third place in the floor exercise. Drama over whether her score of 13.766 should be upheld has roiled the USA and Romanian gymnastics federations.
“This is just so heartbreaking, and I am just so gutted for Jordan,” Raisman said in an appearance on NBC’s “Today.” “I can’t even imagine what this past week has been like for Jordan and the other athletes involved. This is completely devastating.
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“I don’t think people realize these gymnasts work their entire lives for this moment, and it’s supposed to be a celebration. … I think it’s so unfair. It’s so cruel. And I don’t think Jordan should have to give her medal back. The IOC has given more than one medal before, and I think they should do that now – it’s awful.”
Raisman, who won and lost a medal over tiebreaking scores during the 2012 London Olympics, said athletes trust the process and that the rules are fair. She called for more transparency going forward.
“The organizations that are in charge of this really need to look at the athletes’ mental health and how much this is affecting them and how cruel it is to take a medal away from someone. It’s just unfathomable to me.”
Chiles’ score was changed from 13.666 to 13.766 after her performance on the floor last week. It catapulted her from fifth to third over Romanians Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Mancea-Voinea. The U.S. made an inquiry in the final moments which resulted in a score change.
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However, Romanian officials protested the score change and the Center of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled Saturday that Chiles’ score should be reverted to 13.666 because U.S. coaches missed the deadline to file the inquiry by four seconds. However, CAS would put it in the hands of the International Gymnastics Federation to make the final ruling.
Eventually, the IOC determined early Sunday that Chiles should give back her bronze medal. USA Gymnastics said not so fast.
The organization said that it now had video evidence to show that coaches made two inquiries in the allotted time frame. The CAS ruling was being appealed.
Barbosu put the blame on officials over the entire ordeal.
“Sabrina, Jordan, my thoughts are with you. I know what you are feeling because I’ve been through the same. But I know you’ll come back stronger,” she wrote in a post on Instagram. “I hope from deep of my heart that at the next Olympics, all three of us will share the same podium. That is my true dream.
“The situation would not have existed if the persons in charge had respected the regulation. We, as athletes, are not to be blamed, and the hate directed to us is painful. I wanted to end this edition of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in the spirit of Olympism, the true value of the world.”
Chiles decided to break from social media as the drama got sorted.
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