Washington (AFP) – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will not reconsider a ruling that cost US gymnast Jordan Chiles an Olympic bronze medal in floor exercise despite new evidence, USA Gymnastics said Monday. Chiles took the bronze when a challenge from Team USA about her degree of difficulty of her routine was accepted, denying Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu the prize.
But CAS cancelled the re-evaluation of Chiles’s score, saying Team USA’s appeal was lodged four seconds after the regulatory deadline. And the International Olympic Committee opted to award the medal to Barbosu. USA Gymnastics attempted to have CAS reconsider the matter and reinstate the bronze to Chiles, citing new video evidence proving the appeal was made in time, but said Monday that attempt had been denied.
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“USA Gymnastics was notified by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday that their rules do not allow for an arbitral award to be reconsidered even when conclusive new evidence is presented,” the statement said. USA Gymnastics said it will press its effort further, potentially to Swiss authorities, in a quest to resolve the Paris Olympics dispute in the American’s favor.
“We are deeply disappointed by the notification and will continue to pursue every possible avenue and appeal process, including to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, to ensure the just scoring, placement, and medal award for Jordan,” the statement said.
On Sunday, USA Gymnastics submitted a letter and video evidence to CAS establishing team coach Cecile Landi’s request to file an inquiry was submitted 47 seconds after the publishing of the score, within a one-minute deadline required by the International Gymnastics Federation. USA Gymnastics also said Landi filed a second statement 55 seconds after the original posting of the score.
USA Gymnastics did not provide the video footage before the initial CAS decision because it was not available to the sport governing body at that time, giving them no opportunity to submit it for the hearing.
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