NBA superstar LeBron James took to social media to show his support for American gymnast Jordan Chiles during the controversy surrounding her bronze medal from the Paris Olympics. The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled Sunday that Chiles must return her bronze medal in the women’s floor exercise due to a late appeal by her coach. James retweeted an image of Chiles shared by Team USA that said “Forever THAT girl” with a series of emojis, including the infinity symbol with several exclamation marks, a heart and an American flag.
Chiles initially placed fifth in the floor exercise final on Monday, but an inquiry by her coach Cecile Landi resulted in her score being adjusted, moving her up to third place and awarding her the bronze medal. However, CAS ruled that the appeal was filed 4 seconds beyond the one-minute time limit for scoring inquiries, nullifying the decision that had moved Chiles onto the podium. The International Gymnastics Federation and the International Olympic Committee have since confirmed that the bronze medal will be reallocated to Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu.
USOPC to appeal Jordan Chiles’ ruling
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee said it will appeal the court’s decision, stating that Chiles rightfully earned her bronze medal. In a statement, the USOPC highlighted what it described as “critical errors” in both the initial scoring by FIG and the subsequent CAS appeal process. The committee also noted that they were not given adequate time or notice to effectively challenge the CAS decision.
The exact path for the appeal remains unclear, but the USOPC is exploring options that could include taking the case to Switzerland’s highest court, the Swiss Tribunal, or the European Court of Human Rights. The appeal process is expected to be complex and lengthy.
The situation has drawn considerable attention from the gymnastics community and sports fans worldwide, with many expressing their support for Chiles. Romanian gymnastics legend Nadia Comaneci expressed concern for Barbosu’s mental health, given the emotional rollercoaster the young gymnast experienced after initially celebrating her bronze medal before it was taken away and then restored. Comaneci also criticized the judges for their handling of the situation.
“I can't believe we play with athletes mental health and emotions like this… let's protect them,” Comaneci posted on X earlier in the week, as reported by the Associated Press.
Chiles has taken a step back from social media, stating that she needed time for her mental health after the heartbreaking decision. Her teammates, including Simone Biles and Suni Lee, have publicly supported her.
“Sending you so much love Jordan,” Biles said in an Instagram story. “Keep your chin up ‘Olympic champ' we love you.”
“All this talk about the athlete, what about the judges?” six-time Olympic medalist Lee said on her Instagram story. “Completely unacceptable, this is awful and i'm gutted for jordan.”
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