Footage from Simone Biles' Netflix Docuseries May Be Key in Jordan Chiles Getting Her Bronze Medal Back

Mar. 15, 2025

Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles at the 2024 Paris Olympics.Photo:Xavier Laine/Getty

Xavier Laine/Getty

Footage fromSimone Biles' Netflix documentary may be the smoking gun in the fight for Jordan Chiles' Olympic medal.

During the competition on Aug. 5, Chiles was initially given a score that put her in fifth place. Landi quickly submitted a successful inquiry to the judges to reevaluate her difficulty score, which put her ahead of two Romanian gymnasts and into bronze, which she was awarded during the medal ceremony.

But days later, Chiles' bronze was stripped after theCourt of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decidedthat Landi had been four seconds late to submit the inquiry. The American was stripped of her medal and it was awarded to RomanianAna Barbosufollowing the CAS decision.

Now, in documents filed on Monday, Sept. 16 in the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland, Chiles' attorney has submitted footage from Religion of Sports, the production company behind Biles' docuseries, anddirector Katie Walshthat they claim proves the “exact time” Landi inquired on Chiles' behalf.

Monday’s new filing argues that Landi first stated she’d like an “inquiry for Jordan” 49 seconds after the result came in, which falls within the 60 second window granted for appeals.

Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty

The footage also apparently shows two “technical assistants” making “eye contact with” Landi and nodding to her “to indicate receipt of the Verbal Inquiry,” per the filing.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The gymnast’s legal team is also arguing that CAS president Hamid G. Gharavi had a “serious conflict of interest” in the matter between Chiles and Barbosu of Romania. Per the documents, Gharavi acted as counsel for Romania for nearly a decade and had been an active representative of the nation at the time of the CAS' decision to strip Chiles of her medal.

Jordan Chiles of Team United States holds hands with Simone Biles.Naomi Baker/Getty

Naomi Baker/Getty

In a statement the same day, USA Gymnastics announced their support for Chiles' appeal and said the organization made a “collective, strategic decision to have Jordan lead the initial filing.”

“USAG is closely coordinating with Jordan and her legal team and will make supportive filings with the court in the continued pursuit of justice for Jordan,” the statement from USA Gymnastics concluded.

Jordan Chiles and Simone Biles of Team United States.Naomi Baker/Getty

In an interview with PEOPLE last month,Biles said she wants “justice"for her teammate.

“It’s an unfortunate circumstance because something like this has never happened before and it’s truly a shame, but we wish all three girls could get the medal and unfortunately in gymnastics that’s not the case,” Biles told PEOPLE of the situation.

“Do we think they did the correct procedures to come to this ruling? No. That’s really why we want that justice for Jordan and why we’re going to keep supporting her and uplifting her,” added Biles.

source: people.com