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The battle for Team USA star Jordan Chiles’ bronze medal is still raging, more than a week after the gymnast appeared to earn third place in the Paris Olympics’ women’s gymnastics floor exercise competition.
On Sunday, the International Olympic Committee said it was in contact with U.S. representatives “regarding the return” of Chiles’ medal, a day after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that a coach’s inquiry that led to Chiles’ score being changed was filed after the one-minute deadline to do so. With the decision, the IOC instead ruled Romanian Ana Bărbosu the rightful bronze medal recipient.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee quickly said it would appeal the decision, while USA Gymnastics is arguing that new evidence proves the initial inquiry was in fact made within the necessary timeframe.
“We firmly believe that Jordan rightfully earned the bronze medal, and there were critical errors in both the initial scoring by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and the subsequent CAS appeal process that need to be addressed,” the USOPC said in a statement Sunday.
There could be even more than just a bronze medal—or the sanctity of a now iconic podium photo—at stake in the appeal’s outcome.
U.S. athletes are awarded significant prize money if they claim Olympic hardware. Chiles will receive $37,500 for her gold medal in the team all-around event, for instance, and silver medal winners get $23,000. A bronze is worth $15,000 based on the USOPC payout system.
However, it remains uncertain how Team USA will handle Chiles’ situation if its appeal proves unsuccessful. According to an organization representative, the USOPC hasn’t determined whether it will grant Chiles the award, even if it loses the case, as it continues fighting in the courts. The U.S. likely would have the option to pay her regardless of the IOC’s final decision, though doing so could establish a thorny precedent as well as draw additional scrutiny. A Chiles representative declined to comment.
Chiles’ status could have other impacts too. In the past, medal hauls have reportedly factored into bonuses paid for participation in post-Olympics tours. Chiles is set to travel in Simone Biles’ Gold Over America Tour this fall, though it’s unlikely Chiles’ teammate would see her stiffed. “Keep your chin up Olympic champ!” Biles posted on social media this weekend, along with a photo of her and Chiles. “We love you!”
USA Gymnastics’ system of athlete funding also varies based on Olympic track record. However, Chiles’ wins with the team in 2020 and 2024 are enough to establish her in the hierarchy’s top tier ($3,000 per month), assuming she continues training and participating with the national team.
Those funds are technically delivered via the USOPC, in part to ensure certain athletes’ continued NCAA eligibility (NCAA bylaw 12.1.2.1.4.1.2 allows college competitors to accept funds administered by that body). Last week, Chiles confirmed her plans to return to UCLA, where she is believed to be one of the nation’s top NIL earners among female athletes.
Post-Olympics medal swaps are not unheard of, though they are most often the result of eligibility decisions or performance-enhancing drug use. Just last week, figure skaters from the U.S. and Japan received their gold and silver Olympic medals from the team event at the 2022 Winter Games after the Russian team’s score was invalidated by evidence of doping. That case wasn’t fully decided until this July.
It remains to be seen how long certainty will elude Chiles. In the meantime, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has already said that Bărbosu will receive that country’s typical medal bonus for third place, reportedly €21,000 ($23,000).
Additional reporting by Eben Novy-Williams.