New video confirms Jordan Chiles inquiry was submitted on the right time, USA Gymnastics says
Jordan Chiles’s floor workout inquiry from the Paris Olympics was filed prior to time, USA Gymnastics says. It says it has video evidence.
By Tom Schad
Aug 11, 2024 10:03 PM
PARIS — There’s been another major twist in the Olympic gymnastics drama involving Jordan Chiles’ bronze medal .
USA Gymnastics said Sunday that it has uncovered new video evidence that shows that Chiles Coach, Cecile Landi, submitted an inquiry into her performance during the final floor exercise for women prior to the deadline of one minute 47 seconds after the announcement of her score exactly.
The body that governs the sport stated in an announcement that it has sent the video, along with an official letter to Court of Arbitration for Sport in order to restore Chiles scoring of 13.766 and to allow her to retain her medal of bronze in her participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“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,” USA Gymnastics declared in its statement.
“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.”
2024 Olympic medals: Who’s most successful in the medal count? Keep track of the medals in every sport.
A spokesperson from USA Gymnastics said that, due to the confidentiality rules for appeals to CAS, the organization could not give additional details regarding the video, such as the source.
A CAS spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request asking for a response. The International Olympic Committee did not immediately respond to an email inquiring whether the existence of this video could alter their decision to revoke Chiles the medal whatever the outcome, regardless of whether CAS reconsiders its decision.
The new video is the new twist in the saga which began with the floor exercise final held at Bercy Arena earlier this week in which Chiles beat Ana Barbosu of Romania at the end of the contest following an appeal of her score.
Chiles initially scored the score of 13.666 before her coaches filed an inquiry to the judging panel, asserting that she shouldn’t get a one-tenth deducted from her difficulty score due to the full tour of her jete. This is an arc of split-leap. The judges agreed and increased Chiles score to 13.766 and she was awarded Olympic bronze. It also left Barbosu who scored 13.700 shocked.
It was later discovered that the Romanian Gymnastics Federation later filed an appeal to CAS and claimed that Landi had submitted her enquiry into Chiles score exactly four seconds over the one minute allowed for inquiry into such matters. CAS was in agreement and cited this fact as the basis of its decision on Saturday. It brought her score down to 13.666.
The CAS decision led to a string of procedural dominoes, which eventually led to the IOC to declare that it was taking away Chiles bronze medal and transferring it Barbosu.
The issue is purely a matter of time – a difference of 17 seconds could determine whether Chiles will be able to keep her first Olympic medal.
The CAS ruling didn’t specify what they came to the Romanian Gymnastics Federation determined that the inquiry was four seconds late. The organization itself did not respond to a request for clarification on Sunday.
In accordance with the rules of technical competitions, which is enforced by the International Gymnastics Federation, the coach of a gymnast can make an inquiry regarding scores at any time until the next gymnast begins their routine. However, if the gymnast is the last in a group or a rotation, such as Chiles was during the floor final on Monday the rule of law is different, and the coach has only an hour “after the score is shown on the scoreboard.”
“The person designated to receive the verbal inquiry has to record the time of receiving it, either in writing or electronically, and this starts the procedure,” the technical regulations of FIG state.
Email Tom Schad at djgain2005@gmail.com or on social media @Tom_Schad.