The Paris Olympics ended over a month ago, but Jordan Chiles‘ bronze medal controversy hasn’t. Every development ends with a cliffhanger, keeping the gymnastics community on tenterhooks as to— what’s next? But, over a month later, the American side is still not backing down. As they continue to fight for the gymnast’s floor exercise medal, Chiles herself is headlining that battle!
But it’s her best friend Simone Biles to the rescue once again! You ask how? Well, after Jordan Chiles submitted an appeal to the Swiss Federal Supreme Court recently, a new video has now emerged. Does it put an end to all speculations regarding the time of the appeal? Possibly.
As seen in a video posted by Gymnastics Now on X, Chiles’ floor-exercise scores get posted at the 15:31:53 stamp of the video. Cecile Landi is heard shouting twice, “Inquiry for Jordan,” until she finally turns back from the appeal table at 15:32:55. This implies that Cecile seems to have appealed within the 1-minute bar. But the loose end was left from the other side. As it looked like the person receiving the inquiry was having trouble hearing it at first.
This video is nothing but the same evidence with which the appeal is now filed by Chiles before the Swiss Federal Supreme Court. And guess what is the source of the audio in it, which plays a game-changing part in the whole fiasco? Well, it’s none other than Simone Biles’ Netflix documentary crew that followed her to Paris, per the Washington Post.
As the second season of Simone Biles’ Rising is ready to air on October 25, episodes 3 and 4 of it document the gymnast’s journey from the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, to what she chronicles on the Paris mats. Thus, it’s the same shoot that seems to have come in handy for the latest audio.
Even though the camera remains blank while Cecile Landi shouts for Jordan Chiles’ appeals, her words are clear and distinct. Also, as seen in the X post, the OBS Broadcast cam shows Cecile leaving towards the table at 1:32.39. After which the first inquiry is heard a second later, while the next one at 1:32.48. Both these times, Cecile is not in the camera view, so her location and proximity to the table remain doubtful. However, the appeals are clearly heard within the 1-minute deadline.
Jordan Chiles’ bronze battle garners Nike Lawyer’s support
Over a month after the floor exercise finale, on September 16, Chiles decided to resume her tussle for the bronze medal that she was awarded and later revoked. As reported by Business Wire, her appeal constitutes an urge to reconsider the verdict provided by the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS). Backed by a strong will and concrete evidence this time, Jordan Chiles also has a veteran’s support. And he’s none other than, Maurice Suh.
Suh, the lawyer came to Nike’s rescue, aiding them to win the $20 million lawsuit against Odell Beckham JR. And now, it has come to the fore that Maurice Suh’s partner firm, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has helped Chiles file the appeal. A part of it states that the CAS has denied the gymnast the ‘right to be heard.’
This possibly comes against the background of a prior statement that read, “USA Gymnastics was notified by the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) on Monday that their rules do not allow for an arbitral award to be reconsidered even when conclusive new evidence is presented.”
