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Team USA gymnast Jordan Chiles is speaking out for the first time on the decision to strip her of her bronze medal.
On Thursday (August 15), Chiles shared a statement on social media, saying the decision to strip her of the bronze medal she earned at the 2024 Paris Olympics "feels unjust."
"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," Chiles wrote. "To add to the heartbreak, the unprompted racially driven attacks on social media are wrong and extremely hurtful."
During the gymnastics floor final, Chiles initially posted a score of 13.666, falling short of Romanian Ana Barbosu's score of 13.700. However, Chiles' coaches challenged her difficulty score, which added 0.1 to her total and earned her the bronze medal.
Barbosu's team later lodged a complaint that the U.S. didn't make its inquiry into Chile's score within the one-minute deadline. CAS ruled in favor of Romania on Saturday (August 10), reinstating Chiles' original score of 13.666 and moving Bărbosu’s back to bronze.
The U.S. attempted to appeal the decision to strip Chiles of her bronze medal with video evidence that its inquiry was requested before the one-minute cut-off time. However, CAS declined to reconsider its ruling.
On Thursday, Chiles thanked her fans and USA Gymnastics for their support during "one of the most challenging moments" of her career.
"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," the star gymnast said.
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