U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles has returned to social media to speak out about the controversial decision to strip her of her Olympic bronze medal, expressing her deep frustration and disappointment over what she calls an “unjust” ruling.
The 23-year-old took to Instagram on Thursday to share her thoughts, five days after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reinstated an earlier score that knocked her off the podium in the women’s floor final at the 2024 Paris Games.
“I have no words. This decisions feels unjust and comes as a significant blow not just to me but to everyone who has championed my journey,” Chiles said. “To add to the heartbreak, the unprompted racially driven attacks on social media are wrong and extremely hurtful.”
She also expressed her gratitude for the support she has received from USA Gymnastics and her fans, vowing to continue fighting for justice.
“I will approach this challenge as I have others — and I will make every effort to ensure that justice is done,” she wrote.
With a score of 13.666, Chiles initially came in fifth place when the competition ended, placing her behind Romanian gymnasts Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea, who were tied at 13.700.
But after her coach filed an appeal with the judges, arguing the gymnast’s difficulty score had been too low, the tribunal agreed and increased Chiles’ score to 13.766, which placed her on the podium.
On Saturday, the CAS ruled the coach’s challenge came four seconds too late and reinstated Chiles’ previous score. The International Gymnastics Federation upheld the court’s decision, resulting in Sunday’s announcement that the two-time Olympian would be forced to return her bronze medal.