US Olympic Committee plans to appeal CAS ruling on Jordan Chiles' bronze medal reversal

On Saturday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport voided an appeal from Team USA coach Cecile Landi that had landed American gymnast Jordan Chiles a bronze medal in the women’s floor event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Now, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) plans to appeal the CAS’ ruling, per USA Today‘s Christine Brennan.

“The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) will be appealing the recent decision made by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding Jordan Chiles,” the USOPC statement read. “We firmly believe that Jordan rightfully earned the bronze medal, and there were critical errors in both the initial scoring by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and the subsequent CAS appeal process that need to be addressed.

“The initial error occurred in the scoring by FIG, and the second error was during the CAS appeal process, where the USOPC was not given adequate time or notice to effectively challenge the decision. As a result, we were not properly represented or afforded the opportunity to present our case comprehensively.

“Given these circumstances, we are committed to pursuing an appeal to ensure that Jordan Chiles receives the recognition she deserves. We remain dedicated to supporting her as an Olympic champion and will continue to work diligently to resolve this matter swiftly and fairly.”

More on the controversy around Jordan Chiles’ score

Chiles’ routine first appeared to put her in fifth behind two gymnasts tied for third with a score of 13.7. However, Team USA used an inquiry to double-check the former UCLA star’s score, resulting in a boost to 13.766, taking her to third. Chiles won the bronze medal after taking home a gold in the women’s team finals.

However, after an appeal from the Romanian gymnasts, FIG reneged Chiles’ third-place upgrade, returning her to her initial fifth-place finish. Along with FIG’s decision regarding the scoring of the event, the International Olympic Committee ruled Chiles must return her medal.

The CAS claimed Landi’s appeal for Chiles’ score came 1 minute, four seconds after the conclusion of her routine. For reference, coaches have a one-minute window to legally appeal the judges’ score of a routine.

In its statement, USA Gymnastics said the inquiry was filed in good faith. It also said Chiles has faced attacks on social media as a result of the situation.

“We are devastated by the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling regarding women’s floor exercise,” the statement read. “The inquiry into the Difficulty Value of Jordan Chiles’ floor exercise routine was filed in good faith and, we believed, in accordance with FIG rules to ensure accurate scoring.

“Throughout the appeal process, Jordan has been subject to consistent, utterly baseless and extremely hurtful attacks on social media. No athlete should be subject to such treatment. We condemn the attacks and those who engage, support or instigate them. We commend Jordan for conducting herself with integrity both on and off the competition floor, and we continue to stand by and support her.”