Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu received her bronze medal from the Paris Olympics on Friday, the latest installment of a controversy involving U.S gymnast and a fellow Romanian competitor.
The medal for the floor exercise final earlier this month, has been fiercely contested as a result of confusion and controversy in the judges’ scoring. The USA Gymnastics claims that Jordan Chiles should have won. Making it even more complicated, Sabrina Voinea says she was illegitimately penalized for stepping out of bounds, and she is the rightful bronze medalist. Video appears to show her foot remained in the area.
“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,” Barbosu, 21 said at the ceremony on Friday, according to a post on Instagram by the Romanian Gymnastics Federation.
“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.”
Barbosu was initially ruled as the bronze medal recipient in the event, but after Team USA appealed, Chiles was given a higher score and Barbosu was bumped down to fifth.
The International Olympic Committee said that Team USA did not appeal within the one-minute limit, which USA Gymnastics insists it did.
The Romanian Gymnastics Federation had proposed that Barbosu, Chiles and Voinea shared the medal.
VIDEO | Romanian PM to boycott Olympic closing ceremony after gymnast stripped of bronze
