Paris Olympics 2024, Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu lost her bronze medal to American competitor Jordan Chiles following a contentious score review initiated by the U.S. coaches. The decision left Barbosu heartbroken and sparked a wave of criticism from gymnastics legend Nadia Comaneci.
On Monday, Barbosu initially celebrated her third-place finish in the floor final, proudly waving her country’s flag after the scores were posted. However, the celebration was cut short when Chiles’ coaches requested a review of her routine’s difficulty score. The review resulted in a 0.1 point increase for Chiles, raising her score to 13.766, just enough to edge out Barbosu’s 13.700.
Comaneci, a nine-time Olympic medalist, expressed her outrage on X, formerly known as Twitter. “I can’t believe we play with athletes’ mental health and emotions like this… let’s protect them,” she wrote, highlighting the emotional toll such decisions can take on young athletes.
The incident unfolded rapidly, with Chiles being the last competitor to perform. Ana Barbosu, believing she had secured the bronze, began her celebration. Moments later, the inquiry was announced, and the revised results left the 18-year-old Romanian frozen in disbelief before she exited the venue in tears.
Team USA coach Cecile Landi defended the decision to call for the review, stating, “At this point, we had nothing to lose, so I was like, ‘We’re just going to try.’ I honestly didn’t think it was going to happen but when I heard her scream, I turned around and was like, ‘What?’”
The controversy has sparked a broader conversation about the fairness and impact of score reviews in gymnastics, with many calling for reforms to ensure the emotional well-being of the athletes is prioritized. As the gymnastics community debates the implications of this incident, the emotional aftermath for Barbosu and the ongoing support from fans and fellow gymnasts like Comaneci highlight the intense pressures faced by Olympic athletes.