Simone Biles supports US gymnast Jordan Chiles, who could lose her bronze medal at the Olympics five days after winning it due to a technicality. Her sister criticizes a shocking decision that gives the medal to Romania’s opponent, but the IOC will not make a snap decision.
Just five days after winning her Olympic bronze medal, American gymnast Jordan Chiles is about to forfeit it. Simone Biles has come to her support.
The team USA poster girl said she was sending ‘so much love’ to her teammate, telling the 23-year-old to ‘keep your chin up’ as she faces being stripped of the medal she won in the women’s floor final on Monday.
Chiles came third in the event after her score of 13.666, which had earlier put her sixth,
was bumped up by 0.1 following an appeal from the US coach.
But, in a bombshell ruling today, the Court of Arbitration of Sport ruled the judging panel were wrong to allow Chiles’ score to be increased and said the initial finishing order should be restored.
Chiles took to Instagram to say she was removing herself from social media ‘for my mental health’, while her teammate Biles said: ‘Sending you so much love Jordan. Keep your chin up Olympic champ! We love you!’
Elsewhere, Chiles’ sister Jazmin issued a scathing response to the controversy, writing on Instagram on Saturday ‘Please keep Jordan (and my family) in your prayers. Racism is real, it exists, it is alive and well.’
Jazmin continued: ‘They have officially, 5 days later, stripped her of one of her medals.’
‘Not because she didn’t win, not because she was drugged, not because she stepped out of bounds. Not because she wasn’t good enough. But because the judges failed to give her difficulty and forced an inquiry to be made.’
‘FOUR SECONDS. Her bronze was stripped over 4 seconds of time that would have never needed to happen if the judges did their job. I love you baby sis. And I got you back no matter what.’
In a following post, she added: ‘Just so y’all aware – in the HISTORY of the Olympics NO ONE has ever been stripped of their medal for this.
