"It's not about the medal, it's about my skin color" - Jordan Chiles breaks down in tears over being stripped of bronze medal at Paris Olympics

Jordan Chiles sobbed on stage while speaking about the bronze medal controversy at Forbes Power Women's Summit 2024. The 23-year-old was stripped of her bronze medal and has now claimed that it "took away" the person she was.

Chiles was initially awarded a score of 13.666 before her coach Cecile Landi made the inquiry and her score was improved to 13.766, which placed her third for the bronze medal. However, days after the Olympic Games ended, the Romanian Gymnastics Federation appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), claiming that Landi's appeal was four seconds late of the allowed 1 minute.

The court accepted the appeal and directed the IOC to change Chile's score back to 13.666, which resulted in Ana Borbusa regaining her third position. The American gymnast has now opened up about the controversy in public for the first time.

Before attending the Forbes' Power Women's Summit, Jordan Chiles received her bronze clock from Flavor Flav, which the rapper had promised her after being stripped of the medal. Speaking at the Summit about the controversy, Chiles said:

“The biggest thing that was taken from me was, it was the recognition of who I was. Not just my sport, but the person I am."

Chiles broke down in tears before continuing to add that the abuse she received on social media wasn't because of the medal, it was because of her dark skin color.

“It’s not about the medal. It’s about my skin color. It’s about the fact there were things that have led up to this position of being an athlete. And I felt like everything has been stripped. I felt like when I was back in 2018 where I did lose the love of the sport, I lost it again,” she said.

Jordan Chiles still determined to fight for justice

USA Gymnastics Rings Nasdaq Closing Bell - Source: Getty

Following the CAS ruling that Jordan Chiles’ appeal at the Paris Olympics was submitted late, USA Gymnastics decided to appeal against the CAS decision but was dismissed by the court.

However, they said they'll continue to fight for return of Jordan Chiles’ bronze medal.

“It’s not over. Because at this rate, it’s not really about the medal. It’s about my peace and my justice,” she said

Chiles added that they had followed the rules completely and had done everything right.

“I followed the rules. My coach followed the rules. We did everything that was totally, completely right,” Chiles added

The 23-year-old will return to her collegiate career before joining Simone Biles and other American gymnasts on the Gold Over America Tour.