In an unexpected twist, the International Olympic Committee announced a change in the bronze medal allocation for the women's floor exercise final, sparking reactions from involved athletes.
- Aug 12, 2024
AceShowbiz - Ana Barbosu responded to the shocking news that she will now receive the bronze medal initially awarded to Jordan Chiles, after the IOC decided to strip the 23-year-old American gymnast of her honor. The Romanian gymnast took to Instagram to express her empathy and hope for unity among the athletes affected by this decision.
"Sabrina [Maneca-Voinea], Jordan, my thoughts are with you. I know what you are feeling because I've been through the same," Barbosu, 18, wrote on her Instagram Story on Sunday, August 11. "But I know you'll come back stronger."
She also shared her aspirations for future competitions, saying, "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."
The controversy began when Barbosu was initially announced as the third-place winner behind Brazil's Rebeca Andrade and the USA's Simone Biles in the women's floor exercise final on August 5. However, an inquiry filed by Team USA regarding the difficulty score of one of Chiles' jumps led to a score adjustment, placing Chiles in third position and making history as the first time three Black gymnasts stood on the Olympic podium.
Romania's gymnastics team later challenged this adjustment, citing that it was past the deadline for inquiries. The CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) sided with Romania on August 10, reverting Chiles' score and enabling the IOC to reallocate the bronze medal to Barbosu.
Barbosu did not shy away from critiquing the situation, noting that it could have been avoided if "the persons in charge had respected the regulation." The gymnast emphasized that athletes should not be the target of negative backlash, stating, "We athletes are not to be blamed and the hate directed to us is painful."
The IOC confirmed its decision on Sunday, August 11, with a statement and discussed procedural details with the National Olympic Committee of Romania and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, which plans to appeal the decision.
Barbosu's heartfelt message underlined her desire to maintain the Olympic spirit and the values it represents. "I wanted to end this edition of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in the spirit of Olympism, the true value of the world," she shared, reinforcing her hope for unity and fair play among athletes.
