Romanian gymnast Ana Maria Barbosu receives Olympic bronze amid Jordan Chiles controversy
Following the scoring controversy with American Jordan Chiles, Romanian gymnast Ana Maria Barbosu has now received her Olympic bronze after taking third place in the individual floor event in Paris. The Romanian Olympic Committee presented Barbosu with her medal on Friday.
Her teammate, Sabrina Voinea, was also present for the event in Barbosu’s hometown of Foscani. During her time with the media, the Romanian bronze medalist noted that she hopes both Sabrina and Jordan Chiles are able to receive medals. The three gymnasts all had issues with the judges’ scoring.
“I can’t help but think about Sabrina and Jordan right now,” Barbosu said, via NBCSports. “It’s a difficult situation for us, with so many uncertainties and overwhelming emotions.
“I hope everyone understands that we have not done anything wrong at the Olympics. And that the Olympic spirit is more important than any misunderstanding between authorities. I want to believe that the day will come when all three of us will receive a bronze medal each.”
As expected, Barbosu, for no fault of her own, has received backlash online for accepting a medal that some feel should belong to the American.
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Jordan Chiles breaks silence on bronze medal controversy
Chiles has also seen her share of online hate, which is why the Olympic gymnast stayed off of social media after the events in Paris. It wasn’t until Thursday that she finally spoke out about the CAS’s choice.
“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. I’ve poured my heart and soul into this sport and I am so proud to represent my culture and my country.”
Last week, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that Chiles’ coach was four seconds late to request an inquiry to review her score during the floor exercise final. The inquiry initially was accepted in time, however, and found Chiles should have received a higher score. It led to her finishing third instead of fifth in the event, earning her a bronze medal. She became one of the first Olympic athletes to be stripped of her medal for a reason other than cheating the sport or doping.
USA Gymnastics is fighting the ruling as it has video evidence that Chiles’ coach submitted the inquiry in time.