The last apparatus in the Women's Artistic gymnastics - Floor Exercise, won so triumphantly and brilliantly by Mexico's Rebecca Andrada with US. Simon Biles in Silver, has been subject to scrutiny and confusion since it finished last Monday.
Bronze medal was, apparently won by a Rumanian, who celebrated, then it was announced that an appeal by US had meant that this was to be awarded to Jordan Chiles (US) (following an appeal on her score givingher an extra 0.1) and she did go onto the podium to accept that medal. Obviously tears and heartache for 16-year old Rumanian girl, who has since announced that at that very young age she is now retiring from the sport.
Another Rumanian gymnast was in this 3rd mix and given no other way the Rumanian Federation took this matter to gymnastic legal proceedings. This has now been decided awarding this third place to the second Rumanian.
Over the past few days the international gymnastic community have hotly debated this whole matter with many videos, etc. Nothing the gymnasts did wrong, although they are the ones so effected. Faults lie with the judges and that will be separately looked into.
General feeling is that all three competitors should be awarded a , bronze medal but this is unlikely to happen.
All sorts of accusations have been thrown around, even including the fact that the result as it was had - for the first time ever- an all-black medallist podium.
It is so sad that the wonderful 2024 gymnastic competition has ended with so much controversy and more than sad for the three gymnasts involved in this through no fault of their own. This controversy will rage for many more years to come. It does not effect either Gold or silver for this competition, just third, fourth and fifth places.
