“Outrageous allegations” that the Court of Arbitration for Sport was biassed in its decision to not reevaluate depriving American gymnast Jordan Chiles of her Olympic bronze medal have been denounced.
After a Cas verdict, the International Gymnastics Federation (Fig) moved Ana Barbosu of Romania up to third place in the women’s floor final of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Cas granted the Romanian Olympic Committee’s appeal, which contended that the US team’s objection about Chiles’ score was not within the allotted one-minute time frame and thus to be rejected.
Citing fresh video evidence that it said demonstrated the challenge was made on time, USA Gymnastics attempted to get Cas to reevaluate its ruling. But it was disclosed on Monday that the request had been turned down.
According to reports in US media, the leader of the Cas panel that decided the case had ties to Romania.
However, Cas released its formal justification on Wednesday for its choice not to re-examine the verdict.
The statement read, “The Cas denounces the ludicrous claims made in some US media outlets that the panel, and especially its chairman, was biassed because of other professional commitments or because of nationality.”
It is reasonable to presume that all parties were content with having their case considered by this panel because none of the parties in this case had contested any panel member during the proceedings. Any further criticism is baseless and unjustified.”
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In response, USA Gymnastics declared that it “seriously disagrees” with Cas’ thorough ruling.
After the women’s floor final on August 5, Romania filed an appeal with Cas the next day.
USA Gymnastics stated that it was “two days past the deadline to file objections related to panels, and less than 24 hours before the hearing” when it learnt about the matter on August 9.
This was allegedly caused by Cas sending lawsuit papers to “incorrect email addresses.”
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) asserted in a different statement that Cas “sent essential emails to erroneous email addresses” at USA Gymnastics and USOPC.
The statement went on, “This deprived us of adequate time to acquire relevant evidence or reply meaningfully.”
USA Gymnastics declared that it will continue to “seek justice for Jordan Chiles” and will “pursue these and other concerns upon appeal.”
Chiles, 23, moved up from fifth place to third place in the final after her coach, Cecile Landi, raised her difficulty level with a question.
The appeal was successfully filed with Cas by the Romanian Olympic Committee on the grounds that the inquiry was “untimely,” having been submitted four seconds beyond the one-minute time limit.
Landi’s request to register an inquiry was made 47 seconds after the score was published, according to a letter and video that USA Gymnastics sent Cas on Sunday. They also claimed that Landi filed a second statement 55 seconds after the first score was posted.
On Wednesday, though, Cas declared that no new evidence had been submitted before to the hearing.
“Ms. Chiles’ question was submitted one minute and four seconds after her score was officially displayed on the scoreboard, and that was agreed upon by all parties at the hearing,” Cas stated.
“Everyone agreed that the report from Omega, the official Olympic timekeeper, was definitive and unambiguous. No side requested the inclusion of any further evidence.”
“The panel is fully aware of the disappointment this adjudicating process may create,” the statement continued.
“The panel would merely state that its responsibility is to make a decision based on the law and the information presented to it, and in this instance, both are very clear with regard to the one-minute limit and how it applies to the facts of this case.
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