Chiles initially achieved a score of 13.666 in the final competition, placing her fifth overall and leading Romanian gymnast Barbosu, who scored 13.7, to believe she had secured the bronze medal. However, after an inquiry concerning Chiles’ difficulty rating initiated by her coach, officials upgraded her score to 13.766, moving her into third place.
This adjustment left Barbosu, who had begun to celebrate her medal, visibly upset and prompted a protest from the Romanian team. The Romanian Olympic Committee successfully appealed, arguing that the inquiry was “untimely,” having been submitted just four seconds beyond the one-minute limit.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport reinstated Chiles’ original score of 13.666, which was subsequently confirmed by FIG. Following this decision, the International Olympic Committee announced plans to reallocate the bronze medal to Barbosu and is working with the U.S. team regarding the return of the medal, as well as planning for a reallocation ceremony with the Romanian Olympic Committee.
Representatives from USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee stated the inquiry into Chiles’ difficulty value was conducted in good faith, adhering to FIG rules intended to ensure accurate scoring. They condemned the online abuse directed toward Chiles, asserting that no athlete should endure such treatment and praising her for demonstrating integrity both during and after the competition.
Chiles’ teammate Simone Biles secured silver, while Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade took home the gold. In a memorable moment on the podium, Biles and Chiles honored Andrade with a bow, symbolizing sportsmanship at the Games.
