Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles is speaking up after forfeiting her Olympic bronze medal a few months ago. The 23-year-old athlete fought back tears at the September 11, 2024, Forbes Power Women Summit, where she bared her mind on the painful experience for the first time. She revealed that she felt that “The biggest thing” was taken away from her at the time.
Chiles was one of the speakers at the star-studded New York City event celebrating global female leaders in multiple sectors of life. It was the perfect opportunity to pour out her anguish during what was likely the most grueling moment of her life.
Chiles’ sad moments came on August 10 after a ruling asking her to return her Olympic bronze medal. The decision, which came from the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) following a complaint from the Romanian sports authorities, ordered the reallocation of the medal to Romanian athlete Ana Barbosa.
“The biggest thing that was taken from me… it was the recognition of who I was. Not just my sport, but the person I am.” She also disclosed that racism likely had a role to play in her ordeal.
“Everything that has gone on is not about the medal; it’s about my skin color. It’s about the fact that there were things that have led up to this position of being an athlete. And I felt like everything has been stripped,” she added.
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Was There Support During Jordan Chiles Medal Loss?
During her speech, Jordan Chiles said she felt unloved and alone despite the overwhelming support she received during the sad ordeal. She revealed that the situation seemed similar to 2018 when she suffered verbal and emotional abuse from her coaches.
Describing the connection between the two events, she said, “I didn’t have the ability to use my voice or be heard, and that is one thing that I feel like now, in this instance of being in this situation, that I wasn’t able to be heard.”
“I just felt like there wasn’t a lot of people supporting me,” she stated. It took some time before she realized the backing she enjoyed from the public. “I can feel it now,” she continued, “But at first, it was really hard to really take that in because of how badly my heart was broken.”
Although she still feels like she was robbed, Chiles stated that she isn’t going to let the experience weigh her down. She is focusing on the brighter side. “I made history, and I will always continue to make history,” she noted.
Which Medal Did Jordan Chiles Lose?
Jordan Chiles was one of the United States gymnasts competing at the 2024 Olympics women’s floor exercise final. It was her best shot at winning an individual medal after she and other members of Team USA won gold at the artistic gymnastics women’s team final.
She was the last athlete to compete at the event and had to surpass the scores of other athletes to win a medal. Already, Brazilian athlete Rebecca Andrade (14.166), fellow Team USA teammate Simone Biles (14.133), and Romania’s Ana Barbosu (13.700) were ahead. Unfortunately, Chiles was only able to earn 13.666 after her performance, which landed her fifth place.
Shortly after her score went up, her coach lodged a verbal complaint on her behalf. The game’s rules allow the coaches to tender an objection to a score after the organizers have posted it “and before the end of the next gymnast’s routine.” Also, if the complaint is from the last gymnast, the coaches must tender it within a minute of the final score’s posting.
What Skill Did Jordan Chiles Not Get Credit For?
Jordan Chiles’ coaches felt that judges didn’t sufficiently award her for a leap in her routine, known as the tour jeté full. After a review, the judges admitted their error and awarded Chiles an extra 0.1 for the leap. This addition boosted her score to the bronze medal position.
At this time, former third-placed athlete Ana Barbosu was already celebrating her bronze medal while waving her country’s flag. Barbosu left the gymnastics arena in tears, knowing she had lost a spot on the medal table. She also announced that she would be taking a break from social media.
Why Did Jordan Chiles Get Stripped of Her Medal?
Months after the event, the CAS ordered a reallocation of Jordan Chiles’ medal. The decision came after an appeal by the Romanian sports authorities challenging the award. The country’s sports authorities argued that the Team USA coaches lodged their complaint after the stipulated one-minute rule.
On August 11, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said that the United States must return Jordan Chiles’ medal. “We are in touch with the NOC of Romania to discuss the reallocation ceremony,” the committee said in a statement.
Even though the USA gymnastics authorities submitted video evidence showing that they lodged their complaint within the one-minute deadline, the CAS stood by their decision. The court stated that its rules do not allow for a reconsideration even after receiving additional evidence.
Throughout the rough experience, Jordan Chiles, who has an estimated net worth of $1.5 million, has enjoyed massive support from her parents. Timothy and Gina Chiles have been everywhere defending their daughter’s medal and condemning the negative social media attacks she has been receiving.
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