American gymnast Jordan Chiles said on Thursday that being stripped of a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics has been devastating and heartbreaking and delivered her an unjust blow.
The 23-year-old from Los Angeles also said a swirl of social media attacks have been extremely hurtful as she tries to recover from the controversy over the floor exercise final.
A score revision over degree of difficulty lifted Chiles to third in the floor exercise but Romania appealed the decision and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled the US appeal came too late, prompting the International Gymnastics Federation to award the medal to Romanian Ana Barbosu.
USA Gymnastics appealed the CAS decision with time-stamped video evidence the appeal was made in time, but CAS said it could not reconsider its decision, prompting USAG to vow it would push the case to the Swiss Federal Tribunal.
— Jordan Chiles (@ChilesJordan) August 15, 2024
"While celebrating my Olympic accomplishments, I heard the devastating news that my bronze medal had been stripped away," Chiles said in a statement posted Thursday on X, formerly Twitter.
"I had confidence in the appeal brought by USAG, who gave conclusive evidence that my score followed all the rules. This appeal was unsuccessful.
"I have no words. This decision feels unjust and comes as a significant blow, not just to me, but to everyone who has championed my journey.
"To add to the heartbreak, the unprompted racially driven attacks on social media are wrong and extremely hurtful. I've poured my heart and soul into this sport and I am so proud to represent my culture and my country."
Despite the heartache and setbacks, Chiles said she thinks a just outcome will result at some stage.
"I am now confronted with one of the most challenging moments of my career," she wrote. "Believe me when I say I have had many. I will approach this challenge as I have others – and will make every effort to ensure that justice is done.
"I believe that at the end of this journey, the people in control will do the right thing."
Chiles won a gold medal as part of the triumphant US team, her second Olympic medal after a team silver in Tokyo.
"I am overwhelmed by the love I have received over the past few days. I am also incredibly grateful to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, USAG and the USOPC (US Olympic and Paralympic Committee) for their unwavering support during this difficult time," Chiles posted.
"Finding joy again has been a culture shift and I love seeing others embrace it. I feel like I have given everyone permission to be authentic to who they are."