On Thursday (Aug. 15), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially gave the green light to have Jordan Chiles' bronze medal relinquished to Romania's Ana Bărbosu. As REVOLT previously reported, USA Gymnastics (USAG) has been fighting for Chiles to keep said medal after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled against the American athlete over what they claimed was a late score review request. USAG has since confirmed that they have video footage that proves otherwise.
“The FIG (International Gymnastics Federation) adjusted ranking is based on a final CAS award, which is binding on all the parties,” the IOC said in a statement shared by USA Today. “While a challenge in the Swiss Federal Supreme Court is still possible, the CAS award is immediately enforceable and Ms. Bărbosu is entitled to receive the bronze medal.” According to the publication, Childs is still in possession of the coveted item.
The IOC's decision came after the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) hit back at CAS on Wednesday (Aug. 14) over alleged mistakes made during the appeals process. "From Aug. 6 to 9, CAS sent crucial communications to erroneous email addresses at USOPC and USAG, an error not corrected until Aug. 9 – three days after filing, two days past the deadline to submit objections, and less than 24 hours before the hearing,” the organization’s message read. “This deprived us of adequate time to respond meaningfully or gather necessary evidence. We informed CAS of our objections immediately."
Their statement continued, "Our objections have since been validated by new evidence indicating administrative errors by FIG and mishandlings by CAS, which would have been impossible to raise at the time of the rushed hearing. In short, we were denied a meaningful opportunity to be heard. Given these circumstances, we are committed to pursuing an appeal to ensure Jordan Chiles receives the recognition she deserves. Our pursuit of truth in this matter remains unwavering."