Support truly
independent journalism
Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.
Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
Louise Thomas
Editor
Flavor Flav wants to give Jordan Chiles a special bronze jewelry piece after the Olympic gymnast was stripped of her third-place medal in the women’s floor final on August 5.
After the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled to take the bronze medal away from the 23-year-old Team USA competitor, the American rapper took to X, formerly known as Twitter, with a special message.
Next to footage of himself at the Paris 2024 Olympic games, Flavor Flav wrote: “Ayyy YOOOO @ChilesJordan ,,, imma make you a BRONZE CLOCK NECKLACE,,, and that’s something NO ONE else has,!!! Hit me up my girl. I gotchu!!!”
The “Fight the Power” performer is just one of many celebrities and fellow athletes who’ve vocalized their support of Chiles following her standing reversal. Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Aly Raisman, and Laurie Hernandez have all spoken out amid Chiles’ medal controversy.
On August 5, Chiles finished her final Olympic exercise in the women’s floor exercise. Shortly after her routine, the judges gave her a score of 13.666, pushing her into fifth place behind the Romanian athletes Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea.
However, Chiles’ coach submitted an inquiry, contesting the judges’ evaluation of her difficulty score and arguing it should’ve been higher. After evaluating the dispute, the judges agreed with the Team USA coach and updated Chiles’ score, bumping her to third place just before Barbosu was set to take the podium.
Chiles then happily took her third-place post on the podium next to Biles in second and Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade in first. This was a historic moment as it was the first all-Black gymnast podium in the Olympics.
Still, the Romanian Olympic Committee argued the judges’ decision to increase Chiles’ score prompting the Court of Arbitration for Sport to launch an investigation into Team USA’s score inquiry. On August 10, the CAS asked Chiles to return her bronze medal because her coach’s inquiry was supposedly submitted past the one-minute deadline.
According to the International Gymnastics Federation, Chiles’ 13.666 score has been reinstated, making Barbosu the third-place finalist with a score of 13.7.
Barbosu took to her social media before the August 11 closing ceremony to address Chiles and her teammate, Voinea.
“Sabrina, Jordan, my thoughts are with you. I know what you are feeling because I’ve been through the same. But I know you’ll come back stronger,” the 18-year-old gymnast wrote on Instagram, per a People report. “I hope from deep of my heart that at the next Olympics, all three of us will share (the) same podium. This is my true dream!”
She continued: “This situation would not have existed if the persons in charge had respected the regulation. We, athletes are not to be blamed, and the hate directed to us is painful. I wanted to end this edition of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in the spirit of Olympism, the true value of the world.”
Chiles announced she would be taking a break from social media following the devastating reversal and the online hate targeted at her. “I am taking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health, thank you,” she said, according to People.
Speaking to People, USA Gymnastics condemned the crude, hateful commentary spread about Chiles since the investigation was launched. “Throughout the appeal process, Jordan has been subject to consistent, utterly baseless and extremely hurtful attacks on social media,” they wrote in an official statement to the outlet.
“No athlete should be subject to such treatment. We condemn the attacks and those who engage, support or instigate them. We commend Jordan for conducting herself with integrity both on and off the competition floor, and we continue to stand by and support her,” the team finished.
