Simone Biles supports Jordan Chiles after medal deprivation
27 august 2024 в 05:28
She may be a goat in gymnastics, but Simone Biles values more than just her sport. Ever since Jordan Chiles was stripped of her Olympic bronze medal, the 27-year-old athlete has been supporting her 23-year-old friend after the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
«I know she’s not on social media, but some funny things that I’ve seen, I’ve said, 'Okay, Jordan, can I send you something that I think you’ll really like right now?'» Simone told PEOPLE magazine on Monday, August 26. «And I sent her little things, and one of them was these four or five girls guarding a medal, and I thought it was the cutest thing».
The three-time Olympic champion then noted the brilliant bronze gift that rapper Flavor Flav made for Jordan.
«And then I sent her Flavor Flav’s bronze, and then I sent her a tweet from LeBron James», - Simone said. «So just things to support her and know that she has support everywhere».
After the US team learned that Jordan’s bronze medal status had been revoked, Simone explained that she stayed in touch with her teammate throughout the situation.
«We talked on video calls, sent messages, just being girls», - Simone said. «I talked to her one day and said, 'You know, Jordan, you have to feel all these feelings. Don’t let these emotions stop you. This will be the healthiest way to get rid of all this.'»
Earlier this month, Jordan competed in the women’s gymnastics floor final. Simone won the silver medal, and gold went to Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade. Initially, Jordan was in fifth place, and Ana Barbosu from Romania was in third. Jordan’s coach, Cecile Landi, filed a request with the judges challenging the difficulty score they had given her. As a result, the judges revised Jordan’s score, moving Ana to fifth place and Jordan to third. Jordan was awarded the bronze medal, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) stripped her of the medal, stating that the US team’s request for a review was made too late. Although the US Gymnastics Federation presented video evidence that the coach acted within the one-minute time frame, CAS insisted on its decision and awarded the medal to Ana.
Speaking to PEOPLE, Simone noted that the situation was «unfortunate circumstances, because this has never happened before, and it’s really sad». She also said that she would like both Romania and the US to «be able to get the medal, and unfortunately, in gymnastics, that’s not the case».
«Do we feel they followed the correct procedures to make this decision? No», - Simone added, referring to CAS’s final decision. «That's why we want justice for Jordan and that’s why we will continue to support and uplift her»
«I know she’s not on social media, but some funny things that I’ve seen, I’ve said, 'Okay, Jordan, can I send you something that I think you’ll really like right now?'» Simone told PEOPLE magazine on Monday, August 26. «And I sent her little things, and one of them was these four or five girls guarding a medal, and I thought it was the cutest thing».
The three-time Olympic champion then noted the brilliant bronze gift that rapper Flavor Flav made for Jordan.
«And then I sent her Flavor Flav’s bronze, and then I sent her a tweet from LeBron James», - Simone said. «So just things to support her and know that she has support everywhere».
After the US team learned that Jordan’s bronze medal status had been revoked, Simone explained that she stayed in touch with her teammate throughout the situation.
«We talked on video calls, sent messages, just being girls», - Simone said. «I talked to her one day and said, 'You know, Jordan, you have to feel all these feelings. Don’t let these emotions stop you. This will be the healthiest way to get rid of all this.'»
Earlier this month, Jordan competed in the women’s gymnastics floor final. Simone won the silver medal, and gold went to Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade. Initially, Jordan was in fifth place, and Ana Barbosu from Romania was in third. Jordan’s coach, Cecile Landi, filed a request with the judges challenging the difficulty score they had given her. As a result, the judges revised Jordan’s score, moving Ana to fifth place and Jordan to third. Jordan was awarded the bronze medal, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) stripped her of the medal, stating that the US team’s request for a review was made too late. Although the US Gymnastics Federation presented video evidence that the coach acted within the one-minute time frame, CAS insisted on its decision and awarded the medal to Ana.
Speaking to PEOPLE, Simone noted that the situation was «unfortunate circumstances, because this has never happened before, and it’s really sad». She also said that she would like both Romania and the US to «be able to get the medal, and unfortunately, in gymnastics, that’s not the case».
«Do we feel they followed the correct procedures to make this decision? No», - Simone added, referring to CAS’s final decision. «That's why we want justice for Jordan and that’s why we will continue to support and uplift her»
© Kolganov Andrey
