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After more than 17 months, American gymnast Jordan Chiles achieved a legal victory after losing one of her Olympic medals.
On Thursday, the Swiss Federal Court, Switzerland’s highest court, announced the approval of Chiles’ appeal. The case regarding Chiles’ bronze medal will now return to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), where it will be reconsidered. The court cited video evidence that apparently shows Chiles’ coach doing an investigation into the star gymnast’s score within the required time frame.
The ruling moves Chiles toward resolution of a dispute marked by errors that cost him the bronze medal in floor exercise at the 2024 Summer Games.
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Jordan Chiles of Team USA takes the Gymnastics – Women’s All-Around podium at Parque Deportivo Estadio Nacional on Day 3 of the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games on October 23, 2023 in Santiago, Chile. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
Historically, medal reallocations have arisen after doping or other cheating cases, but Chiles’ dispute centered on an apparent mistake by the International Gymnastics Federation, the sport’s governing body.
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Chiles’ appeal that questioned the independence of the president of the arbitration panel was not accepted.
Maurice Suh, a member of Chiles’ legal team, said in a statement that his client remains determined to keep the bronze medal she was awarded at the Paris Olympics.
Jordan Chiles of the United States poses for a photo with her gold and bronze medal after day three of the gymnastics event finals during the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics on August 5, 2024 in Paris, France. (Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports)
“We are delighted that the Swiss Federal Supreme Court has corrected a mistake and given Jordan the opportunity he deserves to claim his bronze medal,” Suh said in a statement obtained by USA Today. “As the Court recognized, there is ‘conclusive’ video evidence that Jordan was the rightful winner of the bronze medal.
“We also appreciate the Court’s recognition that ‘extraordinary time pressure’ and notification defects prevented Jordan from presenting this important evidence in August 2024. We appreciate that Jordan will receive a full and fair opportunity to defend his bronze medal.”
USA Gymnastics also reacted to the latest developments in the case, saying in a statement that the organization hopes Chiles gets a “fair” hearing.
“We are pleased that the Swiss Federal Supreme Court has recognized the flaws in the initial process and that Jordan’s case can now be heard including all relevant evidence. We look forward to a fair arbitration that includes clear evidence demonstrating that the investigation into Jordan’s score was presented within one minute, as required by FIG rules.”
Jordan Chiles of the United States competes on the uneven bars during the artistic gymnastics women’s team final at Bercy Arena during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 30, 2024 in Paris, France. (Álvaro Díaz/Europa Press via Getty Images)
No date has been set for the new CAS hearing, but the arbitration body said it will follow the court’s ruling.
“Following the SFT’s decision, the CAS can now ensure a thorough judicial review of the new evidence that has since become available,” the CAS said in its statement.
