Jordan Chiles says stripping Olympic bronze medal has 'taken away the person I am' | Gymnastics

US gymnast Jordan Chiles has spoken about the emotional impact of regaining the bronze medal she won at the Paris Olympics this summer.

“The worst thing that was taken away from me was the recognition of who I am. Not just my sport, but the person I am,” she said during an appearance at the Forbes Power Women's Summit on Wednesday, her voice breaking at times with emotion.

Chiles was initially awarded bronze for the floor exercise in Paris after an appeal against the judges' assessment of her routine was accepted, moving her from fifth to third place. However, the Romanian Olympic Committee said the appeal was submitted four seconds after the one-minute time limit had expired. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) subsequently rejected Chiles' appeal and the IOC ordered the American to return the medal. Romania's Ana Barbosu moved up to third place, while Chiles dropped to fifth. The 23-year-old American was subjected to massive abuse on social media, some of it racist.

“It's not about the medal,” Chiles said Wednesday. “It's about the color of my skin. It's about the fact that there were things that led to this position as an athlete. And I felt like everything was taken away from me. I felt like I lost the love of the sport in 2018, and that was 2018 when I lost it again.”

USA Gymnastics presented evidence showing that Chiles' appeal was filed within the time limit, but CAS dismissed the appeal, saying its decision could not be changed “even if conclusive new evidence is presented.”

Chiles said it was difficult for her to accept the punishment despite following procedures.

“I followed the rules. My coach followed the rules. We did everything absolutely right,” Chiles said.

Former Olympic champion Nadia Comaneci said the saga had taken a toll on all the gymnasts involved. “I can't believe we are playing with the mental health and emotions of athletes… Let's protect them,” Comaneci posted on X last month.

Chiles said the support she received from her family and the public helped her.

“It was really hard to really see all the love and support,” Chiles said. “When I look out here and see everyone, I can feel it now. But at first it was really hard to really comprehend it because I was so heartbroken.”

“I'm grateful to every single person who has come forward and said what they had to say,” she said. “Whether it's through social media, through news outlets or just through people texting me, I'm really grateful for it.”

The fallout from the saga also clouded the touching moment of the medal ceremony, where Chiles was initially awarded bronze. Chiles and her US teammate Simone Biles knelt to honor Brazil's Rebeca Andrade, who won gold in the event. It was the first time in the Olympic floor exercise that all three medalists were black.

For her part, Chiles, who also won gold in the team event in Paris, said she would continue her fight.

“It's not over yet,” said Chiles. “Because the way things are going, I'm no longer concerned with the medal. I'm concerned with my peace and my justice.”