Team USA Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles is not letting the controversy surrounding her bronze medal being stripped from her bog her down after her time in Paris.
Chiles posted to her Instagram account for the first time since August 15 – when she posted a statement addressing the controversial decision made by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
This time, the 23-year-old gymnast stunned with some vacation photos of her in a swimsuit in an unspecified location.
Chiles has been at the center of controversy surrounding the scoring and the end to the floor exercise final at this year’s Paris Olympics.
After finishing in fifth place behind two Romanian gymnasts – Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Voinea – USA Gymnastics lodged an appeal that they say was within the one-minute threshold.
Jordan Chiles posted some new snaps of her in a swimsuit in an unspecified location
The 23-year-old stunned in these snaps taken weeks after her successful run in Paris
That led to judges re-assessing Chiles’ score and bumping her up to third place – where she received a bronze medal for her efforts.
But days later, after an appeal from the Romanian Olympic Committee, the Court of Arbitration for Sport voided the American’s appeal in Paris, saying that it came four seconds after the one minute limit.
Barbosu has since been awarded the bronze medal and has had a ceremony in the Romanian capital of Bucharest.
Chiles, meanwhile, has called this ‘one of the most challenging moments of my career’ and plans on fighting to ‘ensure that justice is done’.
‘I have no words. This decision feels unjust and comes as a significant blow, not just to me, but to everyone who has championed my journey,’ Chiles posted to Instagram on August 15.
‘To add to the heartbreak, the unprompted racially driven attacks on social media are wrong and extremely hurtful.
‘I’ve poured my heart and soul into this sport and I am so proud to represent my culture and my country.’
Chiles has been receiving support from her teammates – including Simone Biles, the all-around champion from Paris.
The bronze medal that was initially won by Chiles has been given to Romania’s Ana Barbosu
Chiles has not given up the medal and USA Gymnastics plans to exhaust their appeals process
‘We’ve been FaceTiming, texting, just being girls,’ Biles told People while promoting her partnership with a haircare brand. ‘I did talk to her on one of the days, and I was like, ‘You know what, Jordan, you have to feel all these feels. Don’t let these emotions stop you. This will be the healthiest way to get all of this out.’
‘We saw what you did,’ Biles added of Chiles. ‘And it’s an unfortunate circumstance because something like this has never happened before and it’s truly a shame, but we wish all three girls could get the medal and unfortunately in gymnastics that’s not the case.
‘Do we think they did the correct procedures to come to this ruling?’ Biles continued. ‘No. That’s really why we want that justice for Jordan and why we’re going to keep supporting her and uplifting her.’
There are ‘no plans’ currently for Chiles to return her medal, USA officials told USA Today, though the 23-year-old is evidently still reeling from the ordeal.
USA Gymnastics has previously pledged to exhaust the appeals process in order for Chiles to keep her bronze medal.
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