Jordan Chiles struggled to contain his emotions as he spoke about the controversial loss of his bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.
The gymnast stated that she has “proof” that the US team was “right in everything we did” in the fight with Romanian Ana Barbosu.
But Chiles insisted that he feels no animosity toward his rival because of the furor that lasted beyond the end of the Games.
The American initially finished fifth in the floor exercise, before her score was increased (on appeal) and she moved above Barbosu into third place.
But then, in a surprising ruling, the Arbitration Court for Sport stated that the judges were wrong to allow the change because the United States’ appeal occurred outside the allowed one-minute time limit.
Jordan Chiles struggled to contain his emotions as he opened up about losing his bronze medal.
Chiles took bronze in Paris after the intervention of the Court of Arbitration for Sport
The 23-year-old choked back tears as she spoke about the ordeal with TODAY’s Hoda Kotb: ‘I can only control what my truth is, and I know what the truth is, and I know that we were right in everything we were doing.’
He insisted that “everything was in the time it had to be,” and added that his team has “proof.”
Chiles revealed that he had not spoken to Barbosu after the affair, but the Team USA star said: “Whatever you’re going through, I’m so, so sorry… I’ve been going through the exact same thing.”
After the goal scandal, Chiles criticized the “unfair” decision and the “racial attacks” to which she was subjected.
The 23-year-old briefly quit social media “for her mental health” and now, in her first TV interview since, she has opened up about the turmoil of recent months.
“Honestly, it’s been very, very difficult to understand everything that’s been going on,” Chiles said. “It’s just been a difficult time for me.”
The 23-year-old became emotional as she revealed how the memory of her late grandfather helped ease her pain.
‘As my grandfather always said: “Everything happens for a reason.” There are reasons why you are the person you are. There are reasons why people admire you,” Chiles said.
Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu received her Olympic bronze medal after the Games
‘I will be able to get over this and I will be able to look back and say that was only part of my story, but it is the truth. And that’s why I’m here today, is to speak my truth,’ he said.
USA Gymnastics previously promised to pursue “all possible avenues” of appeal.
Chiles, meanwhile, has yet to decide whether he will return to the canvas in Los Angeles 2028.
“Los Angeles is on and off my mind,” he said.
“I think right now I’m trying to take in what happened in Paris and take it day by day.”