Jordan Chiles, a US gymnastics star, has filed an appeal with the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland following the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision to strip her of her Olympic bronze medal.
Story Summary:
- Jordan Chiles appeals the CAS decision that led to the loss of her bronze medal from the 2024 Paris Olympics.
- The US gymnast’s legal team claims that vital evidence was ignored and alleges a conflict of interest involving the CAS panel president.
- Chiles’s appeal now moves to the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland.
Jordan Chiles challenges bronze medal saga
According to CNN, Chiles’s legal team claims the CAS ruling, which awarded the medal to Romanian gymnast Ana Bǎrbosu, violated her right to a fair hearing.
Chiles had secured the bronze in the individual floor exercise at the 2024 Paris Olympics before her score was revised after an inquiry from her coach, Cecile Landi.
The Romanian Gymnastics Federation challenged this revision, arguing that it unfairly impacted their athletes, leading to the CAS ruling.
Chiles’s attorney, Maurice M. Suh, stated:
“From start to finish, the procedures leading to the CAS panel’s decision were fundamentally unfair.”
The appeal alleges that the CAS refused to consider key video evidence proving the inquiry was submitted on time and did not inform Chiles about a potential conflict of interest with the panel president.
Does she have a shot at winning the appeal?
Jordan Chiles faces an uphill battle in her appeal to the Swiss Federal Supreme Court, where overturning CAS decisions is uncommon.
However, her case focuses on two key issues: the alleged procedural errors and the potential conflict of interest within the CAS panel.
The court will examine whether Chiles’s right to present crucial evidence was infringed, and if the CAS decision-making process was compromised by any conflicts of interest.
Despite the difficulty of reversing CAS rulings, Chiles’s legal team is hopeful that these significant claims could sway the court.
For now, her bronze medal remains in dispute, while Romania’s Ana Bǎrbosu stands to benefit from the CAS ruling.