Jordan Chiles Earned Her Bronze Medal!

Jordan Chiles is an exceptional athlete and part of the gold medal-winning American women's gymnastics team. In the individual competition, she earned the bronze medal, a recognition of her remarkable display of athleticism and excellence.

However, the International Olympic Committee has now revoked her medal—a move that has, in the past, been reserved largely for athletes found guilty of cheating or using performance-enhancing drugs. This is not the case for Chiles—whose only fault was the bureaucratic confusion and failures of the various judicial bodies governing her sport.

After Chiles' competition, her coach appealed the score—and the judges, upon reconsideration, adjusted her score, awarding her bronze. However, because a later claim contended that Chiles' coach was four seconds late in lodging the appeal, a panel then stripped her of this medal. This is absurd and outrageous—and an insult to all the athletes who have been cast into limbo.

Once the appeal was accepted, it should not have been revoked. There are questions of conflict of interest around the judge who ruled against Chiles. And, overall, this is against the spirit of the Olympics. The Romanian team—which was awarded the bronze after it was taken from Chiles—suggested three athletes should each receive a medal, a solution which has precedent.

This isn't about taking an honor away from any other athlete. Whether two or three athletes are awarded bronze, or just Chiles—as the judges had ruled—Jordan Chiles earned that bronze. And the Olympic Committee must make this right.