Simone Biles Breaks Silence On Jordan Chiles Medal Controversy
By Jason Hall
August 11, 2024
Simone Biles, the most decorated American gymnast in Olympic history, showed support for teammate Jordan Chiles after the International Gymnastics Federation modified the women's gymnastics floor final results, forcing Chiles to return her bronze medal.
"Sending you so much love Jordan," Biles wrote on her Instagram story along with a photo of herself hugging her teammate. "Keep your chin up Olympic champ! We love you!"
The International Gymnastics Federation modified that Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu finished in third-place in the women's gymnastics floor final following the Court of Arbitration for Sport's decision to amend the final ranking:
Following the publication of the decision CAS OG 24/15 by the Ad Hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the FIG confirms that the results of the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Floor Exercise Final on Monday 5 August 2024 are amended in accordance with this decision as follows:
The initial score of 13.666 given to Jordan Chiles (USA) is reinstated
The ranking of the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Floor Exercise Finals has been modified accordingly with Ana Barbosu (ROU) ranking third with a score of 13.766.
The court ruled that the appeal made by U.S. coach Cecile Landi resulting in Chiles having an additional .1 added to her score came outside the one-minute window allowed by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). The CAS said the initial finishing order of Brazil's Rebeca Andrade, Biles and Barbosu should be restored, while Chiles would finish fifth behind Barbosu's Romanian teammate Sabrina Maneca-Voinea.
The court said the FIG will ultimately make the decision on the final official finishing order, but advised that it did so "in accordance with the above decision." The podium of Andrade, Biles and Chiles marked the first time a gymnastics podium was comprised of three Black women in Olympic history.
Chiles had previously won gold in the women's team all-around final.
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