Jordan Chiles Reflects on Stripping of Olympic Bronze Medal
In a poignant moment at the Forbes Power Women’s Summit in New York, Jordan Chiles took a 14-second pause, looking down to gather her thoughts and emotions. When asked about the impact of the International Olympic Committee’s decision to strip her of her bronze medal in the women’s gymnastics floor exercise at the Paris Games, she momentarily halted her response. The audience responded with applause, encouraging her as she re-centered herself and lifted the microphone once again.
With tears in her eyes, Chiles conveyed that what she lost extended far beyond just a medal. She emphasized that the controversy surrounding her medal was “not about the medal” itself, but rather about deeper issues that left her feeling “stripped” of her identity. “The biggest thing taken from me was the recognition of who I am—not just as an athlete, but as a person,” Chiles stated.
Chiles went on to say, “It’s about my skin color. It’s about the systemic factors that have brought me to this point as an athlete.” Her on-stage interview, which occurred shortly before she attended the MTV Video Music Awards later that evening, marked her most extensive remarks since the IOC announced it would reallocate her bronze medal to Romania’s Ana Bărbosu, following an appeal by the Romanian Gymnastics Federation.
Initially, during the floor final on August 5, Chiles finished in fifth place but was elevated to third after a successful score inquiry submitted by her coach, Cecile Landi. However, just five days later, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that the inquiry was invalid because it was submitted four seconds after the one-minute window for such appeals had closed. Consequently, the International Gymnastics Federation reverted Chiles’ placement back to fifth, leading to the IOC’s decision to reallocate the medal. USA Gymnastics has expressed its intent to appeal the CAS ruling to the Swiss Federal Tribunal.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Chiles revealed that she felt “left in the dark” and unsupported throughout the controversy. She expressed her frustration at feeling unheard during the appeal process, drawing parallels to her experience in 2018 when an emotionally and verbally abusive coach led her to lose her passion for gymnastics. “No one was listening to the fact that there were established protocols,” she lamented. “There were steps that should have been acknowledged but were overlooked.”
USA Gymnastics has asserted that it possesses video evidence indicating Landi made the appeal 47 seconds after Chiles’ score was announced, which was 13 seconds before the inquiry window closed. Chiles had previously described the decision to strip her of the medal as “unjust.” She expressed in a post on X on August 15, “This decision feels like a significant blow, not only to me but to everyone who has supported my journey. Additionally, the racially motivated attacks on social media are both wrong and deeply hurtful.”
Nearly a month later, Chiles remains steadfast in her belief that she and her coach adhered to the rules and did “everything that was absolutely right” during the floor exercise competition. “I made history, and I will always continue to make history,” she affirmed, noting her gold medal win in the Olympic women’s team competition.
As she prepares to return to UCLA for the upcoming college gymnastics season, Chiles received a symbolic bronze clock during the VMAs from Flavor Flav, who had promised to make her one after her medal was stripped. Chiles receiving the bronze clock from Flavor Flav is a reminder of her resilience and determination.
Required Reading:
- Jordan Chiles responds to being stripped of bronze medal: ‘This decision feels unjust’
- Jordan Chiles to lose Olympic bronze medal after court ruling, but USOPC to appeal
- Jordan Chiles, in an Olympic gymnastics comedy of errors, gets another raw deal
(Photo: Steven Ferdman / Getty Images)
