(FOX NEWS) — American gymnast Jordan Chiles couldn’t hold back tears in her first interview about the retraction of her Olympic medal.
The 23-year-old Olympian, nicknamed “Chick,” was embroiled in one of the biggest scandals of the Paris Games when she won bronze in the women’s floor exercise final after American coaches asked officials to review a score.
‘The biggest thing that was taken from me was the recognition of who I was, not just my sport, but the person I am.’
Jordan Chiles on being stripped of her bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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— theScore (@theScore) September 12, 2024
Romania’s Ana Barbosu initially finished with a higher score than Chiles once the American finished her routine, then judges reviewed the footage, changed the score and bumped Chiles up to third place, sparking the initial controversy and fierce backlash from Romanians.