Simone Biles’ Netflix docuseries, Simone Biles Rising, could be the key to Jordan Chiles reclaiming her 2024 Paris Olympics bronze medal.
Footage filmed for the second half of the series, which premieres on October 25, is being used to support Chiles’ medal appeal submitted to the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland on Monday, September 16, according to court documents obtained by Us Weekly. The footage was provided by the show’s director, Katie Walsh, and production company, Religion of Sports.
According to the docs, which were filed in German, Chiles’ coach Cécile Canqueteau-Landi can be heard in the footage audibly calling for an inquiry to be put into the athlete’s routine at the floor exercise final on August 5. She supposedly made the comment 49 seconds after Chiles’ score was announced and continued to repeat the phrase “inquiry for Jordan” within the one-minute inquiry submission deadline.
Chiles, 23, initially placed fifth in the floor exercise final but was bumped up to third after Canqueteau-Landi, 44, submitted the inquiry into her score. Five days later, the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) announced that they had improperly granted the change to Chiles’ score, citing that the inquiry was submitted four seconds over their one-minute deadline.
The following day, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled that Chiles’ medal would be reallocated to Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu, who initially placed third in the floor exercise event before the score change.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) quickly announced their plans to appeal the IOC’s ruling, while USA Gymnastics claimed they had video proof proving the inquiry was submitted within the deadline. Despite the potential evidence, the CAS declared that they would not reopen the appeal into Chiles’ score. Barbosu, 18, was presented with the bronze medal by Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu during an August 16 ceremony in Bucharest.
Chiles broke her silence on the medal drama in a lengthy Instagram statement on August 15, writing, “I have no words. This decision feels unjust and comes as a significant blow, not just to me, but to everyone who has championed my journey. To add to the heartbreak, the unprompted racially driven attacks on social media are wrong and extremely hurtful. I’ve poured my heart and soul into this sport and I am so proud to represent my culture and my country.”
On Monday, Chiles’ attorney Maurice Suh revealed in a statement that the USOPC filed a letter of support for her Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland medal appeal.
“This appeal is about much more than the bronze medal. Chiles is pursuing her case to encourage the entire Olympic community to take steps to ensure that future Olympians do not face a similar ordeal,” the statement read. “Chiles believes in comPeting fairly and with integrity and holding these organizations to the standards and rules that were established to ensure fairness. … Every part of the Olympics, including the arbitration process, should stand for fair play.”
Deal of the Day
Amazon's 'Best of Summer' Sale Offers up to 50% Off Top-Sellers! View Deal
Footage from the floor exercise final filmed for Rising also reveals that an inquiry into Biles’ routine was never registered despite her coaches asking about one. The submitted inquiry would have moved Biles, 27, into first place, knocking Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade into second.
Biles — who won a total of four medals at the Paris Games — brushed off the inquiry mistake via X, writing, “Honestly not a big deal for me, Rebeca had a better floor anyways 🫶🏾 upsetting how it wasn’t processed but I’m not mad at the results.”
She went on to add: “BUT JUSTICE FOR JORDAN 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️ ya hear me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
In this article
Jordan Chiles
