Jordan Chiles’ bronze medal may be officially lost for good after the Court of Arbitration for Sport would not consider overturning its ruling despite new evidence from USA Gymnastics.
USA Gymnastics said it possessed video evidence that coach Cecile Landi’s inquiry request into Chiles’ floor exercises score at the Paris Olympics came within the one-minute cutoff time, but that did not sway the CAS to reexamine its previous ruling to return the medal to Romania’s Ana Barbosu.
“USA Gymnastics was notified by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Monday that their rules do not allow for an arbitral award to be reconsidered even when conclusive new evidence is presented,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement on Monday. “We are deeply disappointed by the notification and will continue to pursue every possible avenue and appeal process, including the Swiss Federal Tribunal, to ensure that just scoring, placement and medal award for Jordan.”
Barbosu was originally named the bronze medalist during the competition on April 5, but the U.S. submitted a successful request to review Chiles’ score, which moved her up to third after the change.
Six days later, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that the request was not made in time, nullifying it.
Barbosu and teammate Sabrina Maneca-Voinea moved up with a 13.700 score while Chiles returned to fifth with a 13.666.
Chiles still left Paris with the all-around team gold won by the U.S.
“Sabrina, Jordan, my thoughts are with you,” Barbosu, 18, wrote on her story, referring to Maneca-Voinea, who finished in fourth. “I know what you are feeling, because I’ve been through the same. But I know you’ll come back stronger. I hope from deep of my heart that at the next Olympics, all three of us will share same podium. This is my true dream!”
