PARIS (AP) 鈥� The International Gymnastics Federation restored Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu to third in the Saturday, potentially forcing American gymnast to return the bronze she won in the event.
It鈥檚 unclear whether Chiles will be compelled to send back the medal. The federation, known as FIG, said while it has restored the initial order of finish 鈥� with Barbosu third, Romanian teammate Sabrina Maneca-Voinea fourth and Chiles fifth 鈥� the allocation of medals was up to the International Olympic Committee.
FIG made the decision not long after the Court of Arbitration for Sport from Team USA coach Cecile Landi during the competition that had vaulted Chiles onto the podium.
CAS ruled Saturday that the on-floor appeal Monday by Cecile Landi to have 0.1 added to Chiles’ score came outside the 1-minute window allowed by the FIG. The ad hoc committee wrote that Landi’s appeal came 1 minute, 4 seconds after the score was posted.
CAS wrote that the initial finishing order should be restored, with Barbosu third, Maneca-Voinea fourth and Chiles fifth. The organization added the FIG should determine the final ranking 鈥渋n accordance with the above decision,” but left it to FIG to decide who would get the medal behind gold winner Rebeca Andrade of Brazil and silver medalist Simone Biles of the U.S.
FIG spokesperson Meike Behrensen said in an email to The Associated Press that 鈥淩eallocation of medals is the responsibility of the IOC.鈥�
At the Olympics, the governing body of each sport manages the competition and decides the results. The IOC typically accepts that result 鈥� once appeals to CAS are completed 鈥� and formally awards the medals. It’s unclear if the IOC or FIG would ask Chiles to return her medal. The gymnast is already back in the United States.
The IOC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Romanian Gymnastics Federation had asked for three bronze medals to be awarded. Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu reacted to the ruling by saying 鈥渏ustice has been served鈥� and that 鈥渋n the end, the truth prevailed.鈥�
The ruling adds another layer to what has been a difficult few days for all three athletes. Romanian gymnastics legend and 1976 Olympic champion Nadia Comaneci feared for Barbosu’s mental health because of the wrenching sequence in which she went from bronze medalist to fourth-place finisher.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 believe we play with athletes mental health and emotions like this鈥� let鈥檚 protect them,鈥� Comaneci earlier in the week.
Comaneci, at the same time, criticized the judges for the way they scored Maneca-Voinea’s routine 鈥� the gymnast was docked 0.1 points for stepping out of bounds, but viral replays showed she narrowly stayed inbounds. Comaneci urged the Romanian Olympic Committee to protest, which it did, but CAS denied that appeal.
Chiles hinted at the decision in an on Saturday, indicating she is heartbroken and is 鈥渢aking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health, thank you.鈥�
Barbosu and Maneca-Voinea were left outside the medals in the floor final after finishing with matching scores of 13.700. Barbosu thought she had won bronze over Maneca-Voinea via a tiebreaker 鈥� a higher execution score 鈥� and began celebrating with a Romanian flag.
Chiles was the last athlete to compete and initially given a score of 13.666 that placed her fifth, right behind Maneca-Voinea. Landi called for an inquiry on Chiles’ score.
鈥淎t this point, we had nothing to lose, so I was like 鈥榃e鈥檙e just going to try,’鈥� Landi said after the awards ceremony. 鈥淚 honestly didn鈥檛 think it was going to happen, but when I heard her scream, I turned around and was like 鈥榃hat?鈥欌��
Judges awarded the appeal, leapfrogging Chiles past Barbosu and Maneca-Voinea for the last spot on the podium.
USA Gymnastics said in a statement it is 鈥渄evastated鈥� by the ruling.
鈥淭he inquiry into the Difficulty Value of Jordan Chiles鈥� floor exercise routine was filed in good faith and, we believed, in accordance with FIG rules to ensure accurate scoring,鈥� the organization wrote.
The 23-year-old Chiles became a target on social media in the aftermath of the late switch, with critics asking her to give back the medal or offering racist remarks. Chiles earlier this week that 鈥渋t’s funny how people can still never be happy for someone.鈥�
鈥淪ending you so much love Jordan,” . 鈥淜eep your chin up 鈥極lympic champ鈥� we love you.鈥�
鈥淎ll this talk about the athlete, what about the judges?” added on Instagram. “Completely unacceptable, this is awful and I鈥檓 gutted for jordan.鈥�
Barbosu made it a point after returning home to Romania that she had no problem with Chiles.
“I only want for everybody to be fair, we don鈥檛 want to start picking on other athletes of any nationality,鈥� Barbosu told reporters. 鈥淲e as athletes don鈥檛 deserve something like that, we only want to perform as best as we can and to be rewarded based on our performance. The problems lie with the judges, with their calculations and decisions.鈥�
Chiles’ mother, Gina Chiles, called out the critics in a post, writing she was 鈥渢ired鈥� of the derogatory comments being leveled at Jordan.
鈥淢y daughter is a highly decorated Olympian with the biggest heart and a level of sportsmanship that is unmatched,鈥� Gina Chiles posted. 鈥淎nd she鈥檚 being called disgusting things.鈥�
The uncertainty also tinges what had been a on the medal stand, when Chiles and Biles knelt to honor Andrade after the Brazilian star won her fourth medal in Paris.
鈥淚t was just the right thing to do,鈥� Biles said about a moment that soon went viral, with even the itself suggesting it might be worthy enough for a spot somewhere in the vicinity of the Mona Lisa.
That memory now carries a complicated and emotional postscript.
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Associated Press writer Stephen McGrath and AP Sports Writer Graham Dunbar contributed to this report.
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