After a last-minute scoring change cost Romanian gymnast Sabrina Maneca-Voinea her chance at a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics — and handed the prize to American Jordan Chiles instead — the Romanian Prime Minister is planning a protest.
As The Associated Press reported, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced on Tuesday that he would skip the closing ceremony at the Paris Olympics after the late change stripped Maneca-Voinea of her medal.
“I decided not to attend the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics, following the scandalous situation in the gymnastics, where our athletes were treated in an absolutely dishonorable manner,” Ciolacu wrote in a Facebook post, via The Associated Press. “To withdraw a medal earned for honest work on the basis of an appeal … is totally unacceptable!”
An American coach had initially appealed the final score awarded to Chiles in Monday’s floor exercise final, and judges determined that her score should have been boosted by 0.1 points. That was enough to move Chiles from fifth place to third, giving her the bronze medal and moving the Romanian gymnast off the medal stand.
Romania Files Protest Over Score Change
As NBC New York reported, the Romanian Olympic Committee submitted a letter of protest to the International Gymnastics Federation asking to reconsider the score for Maneca-Voinea.
Mihai Covaliu, president of the Romanian Olympic Committee, wrote that judges did not fully explain the change in score for their gymnast.
“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,” Covaliu said.
Romanian gymnastics legend Nadia Comaneci also jumped into the fray, criticizing the score change in a post on X.
“I can’t believe we play with athletes mental health and emotions like this… let’s protect them,” Comaneci wrote
Jordan Chiles Earned Praise for Act of Sportsmanship
Amid the controversy over her bronze medal, Chiles and American teammate Simone Biles have also earned praise for their appreciate gesture toward Brazilian rival Rebeca Andrade. After Andrade took gold in the floor exercise, both Chiles and Biles bowed in an act of respect as Andrade took her place atop the medal podium.
Simone Biles, Rebeca Andrade and Jordan Chiles celebrate the first all-Black gymnastics podium at the Olympics
Biles told People magazine that she and Chiles wanted to show their appreciation for the rival gymnast after a long and hard-fought competition.
“[We were] showing good sportsmanship [and] having fun out there because it was the last competition,” Biles said.
Biles added that she wanted to show appreciation for the medal podium made up entirely of Black gymnasts — a first ever for the Olympics.
“It was representation,” she says. “For all the little girls and boys that look like us, for them to believe in themselves that they can do it too. I was one day in their shoes when I saw Gabby [Douglas] win and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, if she can do it, I can do it.’ “
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Romanian Prime Minister Boycotting Olympics Closing Ceremony Over Jordan Chiles Controversy