U.S. Gymnast Jordan Chiles Appeals To Swiss Supreme Court To Reclaim Stripped Olympic Bronze Medal, Suggests ‘Skin Color’ Played A Role

U.S. Gymnast Jordan Chiles Appeals To Swiss Supreme Court To Reclaim Stripped Olympic Bronze Medal, Suggests ‘Skin Color’ Played A Role

Jordan Chiles isn’t letting go without a fight.

The U.S. gymnast has filed an appeal with Switzerland’s Federal Supreme Court, seeking to reclaim the bronze medal she was awarded during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Jordan Chiles (NBC)

Jordan Chile’s legal team revealed the move on Monday, claiming that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) wrongfully stripped the medal after ruling that her inquiry into a judging score was submitted four seconds late.

The 23-year-old athlete initially secured the bronze in the women’s floor exercise final after contesting the judges’ score for one of her routine elements. The revised score moved her into third place, but the CAS later reversed the decision following a Romanian challenge, reassigning the bronze to Romania’s Ana B?rbosu. The International Olympic Committee has since requested that Jordan Chiles return the medal.

Her appeal to the Swiss court argues that CAS violated her “right to be heard” and suggests a conflict of interest, pointing to CAS arbitration panel president Hamid Gharavi’s previous work as counsel for Romania.

Chiles’ attorney, Maurice M. Suh, called out the arbitration process in a public statement:

“Jordan Chiles’ appeals present the international community with an easy legal question — will everyone stand by while an Olympic athlete who has done only the right thing is stripped of her medal because of fundamental unfairness in an ad-hoc arbitration process? The answer to that question should be no. Every part of the Olympics, including the arbitration process, should stand for fair play.”

Jordan Chiles

Chiles, who won team gold in Paris and team silver at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, recently reflected on the experience in an interview with Forbes, stating that the situation is less about the medal and more about her ‘skin color.’

She also shared a heartfelt message on social media last month, recounting the ordeal and saying,

“While celebrating my Olympic accomplishments, I heard the devastating news that my bronze medal had been stripped away. I had confidence in the appeal brought by USAG, who gave conclusive evidence that my score followed all the rules. This appeal was unsuccessful. This decision feels unjust and comes as a significant blow, not just to me, but to everyone who has championed my journey.”

Vowing to fight for justice, she continued,

“I am now confronted with one of the most challenging moments of my career. Believe me when I say I have had many. I will approach this challenge as I have others – and will make every effort to ensure that justice is done.”

Chiles’ appeal is now in the hands of Switzerland’s highest court, as she seeks to overturn the CAS ruling and reclaim what she believes is rightfully hers.

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