Team USA to be stripped of Olympics gymnastics medal due to protocol breach five days after rival was left in tears
AMERICAN gymnast Jordan Chiles is on the verge of being STRIPPED of her Olympic bronze five days after the medal ceremony in Paris.
Third place will be returned to Ana Barbosu, who broke down in tears after Team USA’s inquiry during the final, after Romania launched an appeal.
Chiles inquired about her own 13.666 score after she initially placed fifth in the women’s floor exercise final on Monday.
After a successful challenge, she received a tenth back on her final score as a split leap with a 1.5-turn, was originally not credited.
Chiles was ecstatic to be bumped up to the podium with her new score of 13.766, as she hugged her teammate, Simone Biles, following the bronze medal announcement.
Barbosu, meanwhile, was left without words after her third place finish was changed to fourth – meaning she did not receive a medal.
But the Romanian Gymnastics Federation issued their own appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the decision on Tuesday – 24 hours after the event.
The ruling judges that Chiles’ inquiry was submitted over the one minute deadline of art. 8.5 of the FIG Technical Regulations and is “determined as ineffective.”
The report said: “The initial score of 13.666 given to Ms Jordan Chiles in the final of the women’s Floor exercise shall be reinstated.
“The Federation shall determine the ranking of the final of the women’s floor exercise and assign the medals in accordance with the above decision.”
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And Chiles – who thought she’d won her first individual Olympic medal – has been left utterly devastated with the U-turn.
The American posted on her Instagram story: “I am taking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health. Thank you.”
USA Gymnastics and U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee said in a joint statement that they were “devastated” by Saturday’s ruling.
They added: “The inquiry into the Difficulty Value of Jordan Chiles’ floor exercise routine was filed in good faith and, we believed, in accordance with FIG rules to ensure accurate scoring.
“Throughout the appeal process, Jordan has been subject to consistent, utterly baseless and extremely hurtful attacks on social media.
“We condemn the attacks and those who engage, support or instigate them.”
Meanwhile, Romania also submitted a review for the scoring of their other gymnast Sabrina Maneca-Voinea.
But this was rejected, and the joint-challenge was only partially upheld.
The Romanian Gymnastics Federation stated: “Following this decision, Ana Maria Bărbosu gets the bronze medal while Sabrina Maneca Voinea ends the competition on the 4th place.
“Congratulations to both of our gymnasts for their excellent result achieved at the Paris Olympics.”
CAS decisions are binding on the participants from the moment they are communicated.