Jordan Chiles Files Appeal to Reclaim Olympic Bronze Medal

U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles is continuing her fight to regain the bronze medal she initially earned in the individual floor exercise at the Paris Olympics. On Monday, Chiles formally filed an appeal with the Swiss Federal Tribunal, challenging a previous ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which stripped her of the medal.

According to Yahoo! News, Chiles’ legal team argued that the CAS decision violated her “right to be heard” and was “procedurally deficient.” The lawyers claim that the CAS failed to consider crucial video evidence proving Chiles’ inquiry was submitted on time. Furthermore, they allege that Chiles was not informed of a conflict of interest involving the CAS panel president, who had previously served as legal counsel for Romania. The bronze medal was awarded to Romanian gymnast Ana Bǎrbosu following the CAS decision.

Both USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee have backed Chiles’ appeal. USA Gymnastics has allowed Chiles to lead the filing, while emphasizing their support for her pursuit of justice. The controversy began when Chiles’ coach filed an inquiry over a misjudgment in her floor exercise score, which initially placed her fifth. After the inquiry, her score was raised, earning her the bronze. However, the CAS later ruled that the inquiry was filed four seconds late, and stripped her of the medal.

Chiles and her legal team are pushing to overturn this ruling, seeking a fair hearing and resolution.

Stay tuned for updates as this case continues to unfold.