USOPC Is Appealing Jordan Chiles Losing Her Olympic Bronze Medal: 'There Were Critical Errors'

Mar. 15, 2025

Jordan Chiles of Team United States in the 2024 Paris Olympics.Photo:Getty Images

Getty Images

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) says it is appealing the decision to stripJordan Chilesof her bronze medal.

During the Aug. 5 final, Chiles was initially given a score of 13.666, which would have left her in fifth place, while Barbosu and Maneca-Voinea both finished with 13.700. After Chiles' coach Cecile Landi argued that the judges hadn’t accurately assessed the difficulty level while scoring Chiles' routine, specifically a rotation in the air, her score was changed to 13.766, and she was awarded bronze.

Jordan Chiles from Team United States at 2024 Paris Olympics.Tom Weller/VOIGT/Getty

Tom Weller/VOIGT/Getty

“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.”

After the ruling in favor of the Romanian gymnasts on Saturday, it was left to the IOC and the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) to determine if Chiles would be stripped of her medal, or if she’d share it with Barbosu. On Sunday, the IOC said Chiles has to return her medal.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The initial CAS petition came from the Romanian Olympic committee, who protested Chiles' bronze and said that Landi submitted her score change inquiry four seconds too late for it to be accepted. CAS agreed with them in their ruling, and reverted Chiles' score back to 13.666.

Chiles' third place finish on Aug. 5 final had been her first individual medal. She also won gold in Paris in the team final withSimone Biles, Sunisa Lee, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera.

Simone Biles, Rebeca Andrade and Jordan Chiles at the podium in Paris 2024.Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty

Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty

Chiles posted a series of somber messages on social media just before the CAS ruling was made public, sharing that she plans to take time away from social media.

“I am taking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health, thank you,” she wrote."

source: people.com