Gymnastics - Women’s Floor Final

What a fiasco. Not sure this could have been handled any worse. I feel sorry for the athletes.

From an article in The Gaurdian :
“The Romanian gymnastics federation has asked for three bronze medals to be awarded.”
which seems ridiculous,  but really I think it’s the only way out of this. That way both Jordan and Ana could have the bronzes they have earned/were awarded and the equally innocent woman in the middle is not disadvantaged. It seems to me to be the only way to end this fiasco with any sort of dignity. All 3 of them are equal victims.

i do think it is unfair of people to be saying “the Romanians” have been attacking Jordan - it makes it sound like the Romanian gymnastics people have been doing that and as far as I have seen they have been anything but. They have been standing behind their athlete, just as any country’s sporting officials should, and at the same time have been supportive of and sympathetic towards Jordan.  Some of the Romanian public have been mean and have been joined by some people from other countries too, in posting awful comments on social media, but let’s not imply that the Romanian Olympic gymnastics people are involved.

Of course they are, and I agree that absolutely no-one here has said anything negative about the athletes.

However the thread started by using “the Romanians” to refer to the Romanian gymnastic officials (and nothing wrong with that of course, how else would they be referred to) and so then when others talk about “the Romanians” saying awful things about the American team and athletes it sounds as though they are still referring to the Romanian Olympic officials.

Look, I am obviously a ‘third-party’ in this, belonging to neither country; I am just trying to be fair to both sides.  The officials from both countries have been standing behind their own athletes, as they should, the athletes from both countries have been terribly hard done by, neither country has done anything wrong - all negativity should be directed to the judges and officials who created all this.  If they had only said at the outset that they had stuffed up and that there would be 3 bronze medals in an effort to be fair to everyone, the whole disaster would have been mitigated.

And I think it is ridiculous the IOC is refusing to award two bronze medals or let them share the medal which both of the gymnast agreed to and want to do.

Jordan made a statement:

"I am taking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health thank you," Jordan said in a statement posted to her IG story.

UPDATE: Ana has also posted her own statement regarding the reversal on her IG Story:

"Sabrina, Jordan, my thoughts are with you, I know what you are feeling, because I've been through the same. But I know you'll come back stronger. I hope from deep of my heart that at the next Olympics, all three of us will share the same podium. This is my true dream! This situation would not have existed if the persons in charge had respected the regulation.

We, athletes are not to be blamed, and the hate directed to us is painful. I wanted to end this edition of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in the spirit of Olympism, the true value of the world."

www.buzzfeed.com/larryfitzmaurice/jordan-chiles-bronze-medal-stripped-statement

I also just heard on the news that the Romanian prime minister had threatened to boycott the closing ceremonies if Ana wasn't given the medal. I wonder how much that affected their decision. 

I heard it on CNN.  I looked on the IG page of their Prime Minister and I do believe it is true.  His most recent post (translated on the IG app): "Justice has been served! We managed to get, in front of the sports court, the bronze medal that Ana Maria Bărbosu won on ground merit! Bravo, Ana Maria, this is the natural reward of a performance for which you have worked for so many years!



I'm glad that, in the end, the truth prevailed, as it should be in a competition that is based on the values of Olympism.



There remains a shadow of sadness because Sabrina Voinea does not benefit from the same decision, as it used to be. But for me and I think that for every Romanian, Sabrina remains a winner! Because through all her dignified and beautiful attitude she demonstrated to the whole world that the Romanians are aware of their value and that they know how to fight for it!



I think this is an important lesson our Olympic gymnasts pass on to us - to never give up fighting when we know we're right!

Here is a post about skipping the closing ceremonies: I decided not to attend the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics, following the scandalous situation in the gymnastics, where our athletes were treated in an absolutely dishonorable manner. To withdraw a medal earned for honest work on the basis of an appeal, which neither the coaches nor the top technicians understand, is totally unacceptable!"



"It is unacceptable that, in such a grand competition that promotes values such as respect, understanding and excellence, a child who had honestly earned her medal to be brutally deprived of the result of her work for four years! I couldn't look at her tears and accept calmly that something like this is perfectly normal!



And the fact that hundreds of millions of viewers from all over the world remained, like us Romanians, literally shocked by this terrible scene, shows that somewhere, in the system of organizing this competition, something is wrong.



I remember very well how, in communism, the Russians would steal from us at the Olympics, and we would try to argue with them with no chance of winning. I do not want to argue with anyone today, but I only choose to protest through my gesture against a blatant injustice to some Romanians who have fully proven their worth!



Sabrina and Ana Maria, you have with you an entire nation for which your work and tears are more precious than any medal, no matter what precious metal it is! And I assure you that the Romanian state will treat you, including in terms of the prizes, like Olympic medalists. Because that's what you are for all of us!"

He clearly does not seem to understand what actually happened, similar to many of the citizens who keep saying that Jordan "stole" the medal from Ana.  

This whole thing has become a disaster!


Romanian gymnast Sabrina Voinea is taking a stand. After being denied a chance to win a bronze medal in the gymnastics floor final on Monday, the 17-year-old has decided to take drastic measures to send her message across.

According to a statement released by the official Olympic committee of Romania, Voinea has decided to 'give up' on gymnastics after the judges denied her appeal to have her final score overturned. Whether or not her decision to 'give up' on the sport is permanent is unknown at this time.

athlonsports.com/olympics/romanian-gymnast-quitting-sport-jordan-chiles-controversy-olympics-sabrina-voinea

Flavor Flav posted on Twitter that he was going to make Jordan a Bronze Clock necklace and, true to his word, he posted the video of the completed product. At this point, she might rather have that hanging up in her house after all is said and done. I can't imagine the emotional roller coaster she's been on.

And the USA has proof that it wasn't late. The IOC or whoever it is are lying. It was submitted at 47 seconds.

Not just a panel member, but the HEAD panel member!!

That article also says that the CAS notified the wrong US officials of the hearing. I wonder if that was done on purpose.