New evidence in the Jordan Chiles Olympic medal scandal: audio leak may have changed everything

New audio and video evidence backs up the view that U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles' coach requested an inquiry into the scoring within the one-minute required window in the women's floor final Sunday at the Paris Olympics. Chiles had finished fifth but jumped to third after a successful appeal, moving her onto the bronze medal position. She was, however, later stripped of the medal by CAS, which maintained that her coach, Cecile Landi, had not filed the inquiry within the deadline. Chiles has since gone on to appeal the CAS decision citing issues in the process, including the notification of Romania's appeal coming late.

An analysis of the video by The Washington Post, including recordings from a documentary crew, found that the CAS based its ruling on time markers that do not meet the standard for what gymnastics rules consider an official posting. Under those rules, a coach has one minute from the moment a score appears on the arena's scoreboard, not from when the score is formally logged, to request an inquiry. New footage now reveals that Cecile Landi asked for the review, some 46 seconds after the score came up, which contradicts the CAS decision.

The technicality had not been considered by the CAS hearing, and neither had U.S. officials been given sufficient time to prepare a defense. Faced with the new evidence, CAS refused to revisit its decision. Chiles's lawyers have taken it to Switzerland's Supreme Court in hopes of reinstating her medal, though she is no longer officially considered the bronze medalist.

Source: The Washington Post
New audio disputes ruling that stripped Jordan Chiles of Olympic medal