Inquiries at the Olympics: the shifting podium of Olympic medals

The recent women’s gymnastics floor exercise final at the Paris Olympics highlighted the growing prominence of disputes in Olympic sports. Initially, Ana Bărbosu of Romania was awarded the bronze medal, but after an inquiry the medal was temporarily reassigned to Jordan Chiles of the U.S., only to be returned to Bărbosu following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). 

Inquiries in Olympic sports 

The razor-thin margins and subjective nature of scoring in Olympic sports necessitate a framework for addressing grievances. 

In gymnastics, a written inquiry must be submitted in accordance with article 8.5 of the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique’s (FIG) Technical Regulations, which provide that a verbal inquiry must be made by an accredited coach within one minute of the score being shown on the scoreboard. The inquiry must then be confirmed within four minutes, after which a Superior Jury will examine the inquiry and take a final decision. 

For false starts, athletics operates a similar procedure, where an athlete can immediately lodge an oral protest under Rule 8 of the World Athletics Technical Rules and compete “under protest”. If the protest is related to the result or conduct of an event, it must be made within 30 minutes of the official announcement of the result and be made orally to the Referee by an athlete, someone acting on their behalf, or an official representative of their team. The Referee may make a decision themselves or refer the matter to a Jury of Appeal. 

Aquatic sports, including swimming, artistic swimming, water polo and diving, also have established protest procedures. Under Rule 13.1 of the World Aquatics Competition Regulations, a protest must be submitted to the Referee in writing within 30 minutes following the conclusion of the relevant event. The Referee’s decision can be appealed to a Jury of Appeal within one hour from communication of the Referee’s decision. Diving offers an additional avenue of protest, where an oral complaint can be made by the competitor or a responsible team official immediately after the execution of a dive, a round of dives, or a section of the contest. 

The Paris 2024 controversy 

The Paris 2024 women’s gymnastics floor exercise final saw a dramatic sequences of events. Ana Bărbosu thought she had secured a bronze medal after scoring 13.700, beating Jordan Chiles of the U.S., who initially scored 13.666. However, after a difficulty score inquiry lodged by Jordan Chiles’ coach, her score was revised upwards by 0.1 to 13.766, and the bronze medal was subsequently awarded to the U.S. gymnast. Then, following the medal ceremony, Ana Bărbosu filed an application with the CAS that appealed the FIG’s decision to revise Jordan Chiles’ score upwards and onto the podium. 

The CAS ultimately determined that the inquiry made on behalf of Jordan Chiles was submitted after the one-minute deadline and was therefore without effect. The original score of 13.666 was reinstated, which meant that Jordan Chiles moved down to fifth place, with Ana Bărbosu back among the medals. The International Olympic Committee then published a statement noting that there were discussions for a reallocation ceremony to award Ana Bărbosu her bronze medal. 

In another twist, USA Gymnastics announced that it had submitted a letter and evidence to the CAS that argued time-stamped video evidence proved that Jordan Chiles’ coach lodged her inquiry 47 seconds after the score was shown, with a second statement 55 seconds after the score was shown. However, the CAS responded that it would not reconsider its decision, “even when conclusive new evidence is presented”. USA Gymnastics has announced its intent to pursue every possible appeal process, including to the Swiss Federal Tribunal. 

The emotional impact of Olympic disputes 

The emotional strain on the athletes involved is often overshadowed by the procedural drama. Ana Bărbosu had a Romanian flag draped around her before the score was revised, and Jordan Chiles has removed herself from social media as a result of abuse following the CAS ruling. The fluctuating medal status underscores the necessity for prompt and definitive resolutions to uphold the integrity of the competition and the well-being of athletes. 

As the situation unfolds, the resolution of the bronze medal between Ana Bărbosu and Jordan Chiles remains uncertain. The actions of USA Gymnastics in the face of the CAS ruling will be closely watched, with the athletes awaiting a conclusive end to the dispute.