The Paris Olympic Games were filled with a myriad of glorious diasporic moments of Black Girl Magic.
From boxer Cindy Ngamba becoming the first member of an Olympic refugee team to win a medal and the U.S.’s Gabby Thomas (USA) winning three gold medals in track and field to Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred winning gold in the 100m, the country’s first Olympic medal, Black Girl Magic was everywhere.
This was especially true in gymnastics, where the return of a healthy Simone Biles helped the U.S. take All-Around team gold.
But the moment that most stood out was the medal ceremony for the floor exercise, where Biles, Jordan Chiles and Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade gave us the first all-Black podium in Olympic gymnastics history.
It was a beautiful reflection of camaraderie within competition and a celebratory moment of Black Girl Magic.
And it happened because the U.S. submitted an inquiry to the Olympic judges, which changed Jordan Chiles’ score and, to her extreme surprise, awarded her the bronze medal.
But now, after a joyous week of celebration, Chiles’ medal is in jeopardy of being taken away after both the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and the IOC declared that the U.S.’s inquiry arrived too late and that Romania’s Ana Barbosu was the bronze medal winner.
“The IOC will reallocate the bronze medal to Ana Barbosu (Romania),” said the IOC in a statement. “We are in touch with the (National Olympic Committee) of Romania to discuss the reallocation ceremony and with USOPC regarding the return of the bronze medal.”
The decision resulted in an uproar of support for Chiles and criticism for both the CAS and IOC. It has also stained the emotional and joyous moment shared by the three Black competitors on the podium.
Unfortunately, backlash and hate also spread to Chiles, who, in response, has distanced herself from social media to protect her peace.
“I am taking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health thank you,” posted Chiles.
Chiles, like so many other Black sportswomen, has faced her share of adversity as a result of racism, sexism, and ultimately misogynoir. Moya Bailey (2021) discusses the latter as the specific and unique form of anti-Black misogyny experienced by Blackgirlwomen in social, cultural and digital spaces. Chiles has spoken openly about dealing with racism, and just how close she came to walking away from the sport altogether as a result.
Yet, she persisted and made it to the highest level of competition and won two medals.
Now one is in jeopardy, but the U.S. is not allowing this ruling to go unchallenged.
The USOPC has vowed to appeal the ruling and on Sunday, USA Gymnastics announced that it had submitted video, time-stamped evidence showing the original inquiry made to the Olympic judges was not late, giving Chiles, her family, friends and supporters some hope that she will be allowed to keep her bronze medal.
“The time-stamped, video evidence submitted by USA Gymnastics Sunday evening shows Landi first stated her request to file an inquiry at the inquiry table 47 seconds after the score is posted, followed by a second statement 55 seconds after the score was originally posted,” USA Gymnastics said. “The video footage provided was not available to USA Gymnastics prior to the tribunal’s decision and thus USAG did not have the opportunity to previously submit it.”
This should be a joyous period for Chiles. Instead, she’s caught up in a situation that’s out of her control.
Now, the image of Andrade, Biles and Chiles as three proud Black women on the Olympic podium could be tainted depending on how the outcome of the final ruling.
More significantly, this dilemma illustrates the painful moments Black women have to endure.
“To be both Black and woman is to wake up every day in your body, where you are policed by your skin, your gender, by your existence. We pay for it in pain. I see the extraordinary in our mere presence because even at our best we are debased. Loving yourself is the protest,” writes columnist Jeneè Osterheldt.
Although Romania requested that CAS award all three competitors involved in the dispute be awarded bronze medals, that request was ultimately denied.
This decision has had dramatic consequences for all of the athletes involved and has left many of us in shock, jarred by the sudden changes days after the historical all-Black Olympic podium.
None of the athletes involved deserved to be embroiled in this moment of uncertainty, but for Chiles, the moment is even more painful for it’s another reminder of what Black sportswomen face in life.
Nevertheless, that special moment on the floor exercise podium will remain seared into the minds and hearts of many.
On Monday afternoon, USA Gymnastics announced that the CAS won’t accept the video evidence the organization submitted showing the U.S.’s inquiry to the Olympic judges was made before the deadline.
Well, medal or not, Jordan Chiles is and always will be #BlackGirlMagic.
To Jordan Chiles, I say you will always be gold in my heart, and they can never take away how beautiful you made that moment on the final podium, as you and Biles together gave Andrade her flowers. You deserve the space to protect your peace and not be subjected to the negativity of others, especially those who have no true understanding of what it means to be a Blackgirlwoman in an anti-Black and misogynistic world.
I look forward to watching you compete at UCLA next year and look forward to witnessing your growth, development, and courage, a courage that inspires so many, myself included.
