One day after the International Olympic Committee ruled Team USA gymnast Jordan Chiles must return her floor exercise bronze medal, USA Gymnastics says it submitted video evidence that shows coach Cecile Landi requesting to file an inquiry on Chiles' behalf within the allowed one-minute window.
USA Gymnastics has submitted additional evidence to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. pic.twitter.com/GOKymbAtcq
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) August 11, 2024
"The time-stamped, video evidence submitted by USA Gymnastics Sunday evening shows Landi first stated her request to file an inquiry at the inquiry table 47 seconds after the score is posted, followed by a second statement 55 seconds after the score was originally posted," the statement reads in part.
"The video footage provided was not available to USA Gymnastics prior to the tribunal's decision and thus USAG did not have the opportunity to previously submit it."
This is the latest twist to a saga that's been full of them.
Last Monday, Chiles originally scored a 13.666 on her floor routine, a score that put her in fifth, just behind Romania's Ana Bărbosu and Sabrina Voinea, who scored a 13.700. However, Chiles' coaches challenged the American gymnast's difficulty score, and the 0.1-point boost Chiles received put her in third. Bărbosu, who had been celebrating her medal, was stunned, and Chiles took to the podium behind Brazil's Rebeca Andrade (gold) and the United States' Simone Biles (silver).
On Saturday, however, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that the scoring inquiry was submitted four seconds after the one-minute deadline to request an inquiry had expired, and the request should not have been accepted. The Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique then changed the standings, putting Bărbosu in third, and the IOC in turn said it would contact the U.S. Olympic Committee to arrange for medal's return and reallocation to the Romanians.
USA Gymnastics took to social media Saturday after the CAS ruling went public, saying it was "devastated" and that the scoring inquiry had been filed "in accordance with FIG rules to ensure accurate scoring."
Joint Statement from USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee regarding the CAS decision on the women’s floor final:
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) August 10, 2024
CAS Decision: https://t.co/KR6DYsfxEk pic.twitter.com/r1e6QKmKA4
On Sunday morning, Team USA posted a picture in support of Chiles.
Forever THAT GIRL ❤️ pic.twitter.com/U6ylsOxSuK
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 11, 2024