The fallout from the Olympic bronze medal controversy involving American gymnast Jordan Chiles and Romania’s Ana Barbosu continues.
Barbosu — who received a bronze medal last week for her third-place finish in the floor exercise final after Chiles was controversially stripped of the medal — made a recent appearance on the “Un Podcast” and offered curious comments about Romanian teammate Sabrina Maneca-Voinea, suggesting possible discord.
“‘I don’t want to say much, because I can’t know what she feels,” Barbosu said of Maneca-Voinea, who placed fourth in the standings, according to the Daily Mail.
“… I felt her a little more distant from me, but I think it’s because of the situation.”
Barbosu added, “It will pass.”
Both Barbosu and Maneca-Voinea received scores of 13.700 on Aug. 5, with the former earning a higher execution score of 8.000 versus her teammate’s 7.900.
Although Chiles initially received a score of 13.666, placing her in the fifth slot, she was bumped to third at 13.766 following a Team USA inquiry.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport then ruled the review from the U.S. was submitted after the one-minute deadline.
The International Olympic Committee later announced Chiles must return the bronze medal.
USA Today Sports reported last week Chiles “still has possession of the bronze medal.”
The two-time Olympian, who was awarded the gold medal as part of the team all-around final in Paris, addressed the matter at length Friday on social media.
“I am now confronted with one of the most challenging moments of my career,” Chiles said. “Believe me when I say I have had many. I will approach this challenge as I have others — and will make every effort to ensure that justice is done. I believe that at the end of this journey, the people in control will do the right thing.”
Barbosu recognized Chiles and Maneca-Voinea during her bronze medal ceremony.
“Thank you to everyone who added a bit of bronze to this medal. Right now I can’t help but think about Sabrina and Jordan as well,” she said.
“It’s a tough situation for us with so many uncertainties and overwhelming emotions. I hope everyone understands that we didn’t do anything wrong at the Olympic Games. And that the Olympic spirit is more important than any misunderstanding between the authorities. I want to believe that the day will come when all three of us will receive a bronze medal.”
Romania’s Olympic Committee appealed Maneca-Voinea’s score earlier this month, as she received a 0.1 deduction for apparently stepping out of bounds during the performance, per ESPN.
Her heel appeared to stay inbounds, according to replays.
“The way in which the score was assessed and the refusal to present the full reasons/proofs for the rejection of the appeal submitted within the time limit set by the rules seriously harms the image of international gymnastics, but in particular affects the athlete, even jeopardizing their mental health,” Mihai Covaliu, the president of the Romanian Olympic Committee, said.
Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade secured the gold medal in the competition while American Simone Biles was awarded silver.
