Simone Biles Shares Support for Jordan Chiles amid Bronze Medal Scoring Controversy: 'Keep Your Chin Up'

Mar. 15, 2025

Chiles and Biles celebrate after the Floor Final.Photo:Xavier Laine/Getty

Xavier Laine/Getty

Simone Bilesis sharing her support for her fellow Olympic gymnastJordan Chilesamid a scoring controversy that could cost her the bronze medal.

On Saturday, Aug. 10 — the same day that for the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in favor of two Romanian gymnasts who appealed the body’s decision to giveChiles a higher difficulty score— Biles, 27, shared an Instagram Stories post in support of Chiles, 23.

Chiles also received support from fellow gymnastsSuni LeeandJade Carey. In apost, Lee, 21, wrote, “All this talk about the athlete, what about the judges?? Completely unacceptable. This is awful and I’m gutted for Jordan. I got your back forever Jo. U have all my flowers and you will ALWAYS be an Olympic champion.”

Carey, 24, meanwhile, added in her ownInstagram Stories post, “Don’t punish the athlete for someone else’s mistake. With you all the way Jo. You are forever an Olympic champion that has so much to be proud of.”

Jordan Chiles (left) holds hands with Simone Biles as she waits for her score after competing in the Artistic Gymnastics Women’s Floor Exercise Final.Naomi Baker/Getty

Naomi Baker/Getty

PEOPLE previously reportedthat following the women’sfloor finalevent, Chiles initially finished fifth based on the judges' scoring. Soon after, her coach quickly submitted an inquiry into the decision, arguing that Chiles' difficulty score had been too low after she performed a split midair while turning 540 degrees.

Judges from the CAS agreed with the coach and updated Chiles' score, which moved her up to third place overall, ahead of Romanian gymnasts Ana Barbosu — who had initially won bronze — and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea.

The Romanian Olympic committee contested the decision, and on Saturday, the CAS decided to reinstate Chiles' original score of 13.666. She returned to fifth place, and both Romanian gymnasts finished with scores of 13.700.

USA Gymnastics previously told PEOPLE in an email that the organization was extremely disappointed with the reversal of the ruling.

USA Gymnastics added that Chiles has been on the receiving end oftons of hateful messages since the floor final, and called for an end to the attacks against her.

Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles of Team United States pose with their Paris 2024 Olympic medals.Jamie Squire/Getty

Jamie Squire/Getty

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On Friday, Aug. 9,Jordan’s mom, Gina Chiles, also called out those accusing her daughter of cheating, writing in a social media post that many of the criticisms aimed at Jordan wereracist and “disgusting.”

“My daughter is a highly decorated Olympian with the biggest heart and a level of sportsmanship that is unmatched…and she’s being called disgusting things,” she added.

Jordan herself also briefly chimed in on the controversy, writing on her Instagram Stories that she was going to be taking time off social media after the ruling was reversed.

“I am taking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health, thank you,” she wrote.

source: people.com