Olympic Controversy: Will Jordan Chiles Be Forced to Return Her Bronze Medal?

American gymnast Jordan Chiles stunned viewers with her floor routine at the Paris 2024 Olympics, winning a bronze medal. However, the scoring dispute that emerged soon after dimmed her moment of triumph, leading to widespread debate in the gymnastics community.

During the floor exercise, Jordan initially scored 13.666, leaving her just shy of Romanian gymnast Ana Bărbosu’s 13.700.

However, Jordan’s coaches submitted an official inquiry to the judging panel, requesting a reassessment of a deduction that had been applied to her score.

Upon reviewing the appeal, the judges reversed their decision and increased Jordan’s score by one-tenth of a point. Jordan’s new score placed her above Ana’s, and she was ultimately awarded the bronze medal.

Unfortunately, the celebration was cut short when the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) announced an investigation into the final scores. With the investigation concluded, many are wondering if Jordan will be asked to return her bronze medal.

Here’s what we know about the Olympic controversy that has shaken the sports world.

Jordin Chiles will have to wait until 2028 to claim her first solo Olympic victory, as she has been asked to return her bronze medal. On August 11, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that the medal originally awarded to Jordan in the floor exercise at the Paris Games will now go to Romanian gymnast Ana Bărbosu.

The decision came a day after the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) ruled that the appeal filed by Jordin’s coaches was filed after the one-minute deadline.

According to NBC News, the appeal was filed four seconds late after the deadline. The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) has reinstated Jordan’s original score of 13.666, and Ana’s score of 13.700 will now move her up to third place.

“Following the CAS decision with regard to the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Floor Exercise Final and the amendment of the ranking by the International Gymnastics Federation, the IOC will reallocate the bronze medal to Ana Bărbosu,” the IOC said in a statement.

Despite the controversy, Jordan’s performance has been widely praised. Teammates and fans alike have rallied behind her, expressing their support on social media, and emphasizing her contributions to Team USA. It also appears that Jordan’s coaches are not going down without a fight.

Following the ruling by the IOC, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee suggested that they would be appealing the new decision.

“We firmly believe that Jordan rightfully earned the bronze medal, and there were critical errors in both the initial scoring by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and the subsequent CAS appeal process that need to be addressed,” it said in a statement to NBC News.

Amid the controversy, Jordan has decided to step away from the spotlight. “I am taking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health thank you,” the gymnast wrote on her Instagram Story (via Yahoo!).