On August 5, the world watched as gymnast Jordan Chiles competed in the individual floor routine event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. After already clinching the gold medal in the team gymnastics event on July 30, folks were hoping to see her do her thing as she tried to win the top prize in the event.
As Brazil's Rebecca Andrade and Jordan's teammate Simone Biles won gold and silver, it looked like Romania's Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea would tie for third place. As Jordan (who was the final athlete to compete) did her routine, she originally placed fifth before the judges shockingly upped her score to be higher than those competing from Romania. This led her to win the bronze medal, where she, Simone and Rebecca made history as the first all-Black gymnastics podium in Olympic history.
But on August 10, everyone was shocked as Jordan had her score bumped back down to fifth place by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), with the award going to Ana. What's more, the International Olympics Committee (IOC) is stripping her of her bronze medal. So, what happened to cause this turn of events? Well, we did some research and we're breaking it down for you:
Why did Jordan Chiles get stripped of her 2024 Olympic bronze medal?
At the time of Jordan's floor routine at the finals on August 5, her initial score had been 13.666, marking her in fifth place by the judges. As Jordan's coach Cecile Landi submitted an inquiry into the decision, she claimed Jordan's difficulty score was too low. She particularly had thoughts about one of Jordan's leaps, which involved the gymnast doing a split in the air as she turned 540 degrees.
After the judges deliberated, Jordan eventually scored 13.766, just slightly over Ana and Sabrina's mutual score of 13.700. But on August 6, the Romanian Olympic committee protested the decision, stating that Cecile put in the inquiry a minute after the score was changed, making it too late for the switch to be allowed. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), who oversaw the complaint, eventually sided with Romania and reinstated Jordan's original score back to fifth place.
"We are in touch with the NOC of Romania to discuss the reallocation ceremony and with USOPC regarding the return of the bronze medal," read a statement made to People on August 11.
Shortly after the announcement, USA Gymnastics released their own statement on Instagram saying they planned on repealing the decision. "USA Gymnastics has submitted additional evidence to the Court of Arbitration for Sport," read the caption alongside their comment on August 11.
How did Jordan Chiles react to the ruling?
As the shock of Jordan being stripped of her bronze medal began to circulate the internet, the gymnast briefly shared her feelings on the subject.
"💔💔💔💔," she wrote on her Instagram story on August 10. "I am taking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health thank you."
Although she hasn't explicitly given a statement about what happened, she luckily has the support of many well-known names in Hollywood and the sports world alike.
Who are the celebrities sending support to Jordan Chiles?
Shortly after the news broke about Jordan's bronze medal being stripped, many celebrities as well as her teammates rushed to support her during this shocking moment in Olympic history. As for who came to Jordan's defense, here's a list of those who've commented on social media so far.
Simone Biles
"Sending you so much love Jordan 🤍 keep your chin up olympic champ! we love you!" Simone wrote on her Instagram story.
Suni Lee
"All this talk about the athlete, what about the judges?? Completely unacceptable. This is awful and I'm gutted for Jordan. I got your back forever Jo 💛 [you] have all my flowers and you will ALWAYS be an olympic champion. 💐," she reacted on her Instagram story.
Jade Carey
"Don't punish the athlete for someone else's mistake. With you all the way Jo. You are forever an olympic champion that has so much to be proud of ❤️," Jade penned to her teammate on her Instagram story.
Hezly Rivera
"Love you @jordanchiles and will always support you!!! ♥️♥️♥️," she wished Jordan in her Instagram story
LeBron James
"♾ !!!!!! ❤️🇺🇸," he commented on X (formerly Twitter).
Flavor Flav
"Ayyy YOOOO @ChilesJordan ... imma make you a BRONZE CLOCK NECKLACE ... and that’s something NO ONE else has!!! Hit me up my girl ... I gotchu!!!" he reached out to Jordan on X.
Gabrielle Union
"Earned it🥉 @chilesjordan," she exclaimed on X.
Bernice King
Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughter, Bernice King, wrote a powerful note to Jordan on X.
"You are a champion. You suggested one of the most memorable, love-centered moments in sports history. No matter what happens next, you are great, now and forever. And the error of others does not change your character. I’m grateful for you and for your example," the post read.
Aly Raisman
"Don’t have the words right now. But this is so unacceptable & heartbreaking. No athlete should ever go through this. This is unfair & cruel. Athlete fairness & athlete mental health matters. Athletes should not suffer from mistakes that are out of their control. & the bullying must stop!" she wrote on X.
It's also important to note this similarly happened to Aly at the 2012 London Olympics, when she moved from fourth place to a bronze medal position after her coaches challenged her score.
Savannah Guthrie
When Entertainment Tonight asked for her thoughts on August 12, Today show host Savanah Guthrie said: "My heart breaks for her. There was a mistake in the judging, they tried to appeal ... I just look at the heart of the matter. It's not about her performance, it's about a technicality. I wish they'd somehow make it possible for her to keep that medal which she clearly earned."
As the entertainment and news associate editor for Good Housekeeping, Adrianna (she/her) writes about everything TV, movies, music and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in business management. She covers shows like The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy, though when she’s not watching the latest show on Netflix, she’s taking martial arts or drinking way too much coffee.
