Simone Biles Shares Support for Jordan Chiles amid Bronze Medal Scoring Controversy: 'Keep Your Chin Up'

Simone Biles is lending her support to fellow Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles amid a scoring controversy that could cost her a bronze medal.

On Saturday, August 10 — the same day that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in favor of two Romanian gymnasts who appealed the body’s decision to give Chiles a higher weight score — Biles, 27, shared a post on Instagram Stories to mark of support to Chile, 23.

“Sending you so much love, Jordan,” Biles wrote alongside a photo of the two gymnasts hugging at the competition. “Beard up Olympic champion! We love you!”

Chiles also received support from fellow gymnasts Suni Lee and Jade Carey. In the post, Lee, 21, wrote: “All this talk about the athlete, what about the refs?? Totally unacceptable. This is awful and I’m disgusted for Jordan. I’ve got your back forever Jo. You have all my flowers and ALWAYS will to be an Olympic champion.”

Carey, 24, meanwhile added in her Instagram Stories post: “Don’t punish an athlete for someone else’s mistake. With you all the way Jo. You are forever an Olympic champion who has so much to be proud of.”

Jordan Chiles (left) holds hands with Simone Biles as she awaits her score after competing in the women’s floor exercise final in artistic gymnastics.

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Jordan Chiles could lose her Olympic bronze medal after the judges decided to reinstate her previous result

PEOPLE previously reported that after the women’s floor final, Chiles initially finished fifth based on the judges’ scoring. Soon after, her coach quickly questioned the decision, claiming that Chiles’ weight score was too low after she performed a 540-degree spin in midair.

CAS judges agreed with the coach and updated Chiles’ score, which moved her to third overall, ahead of Romanian gymnasts Ana Barbosa — who initially won bronze — and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea.

The Romanian Olympic Committee challenged the decision, and on Saturday CAS decided to reinstate Chiles’ original score of 13.666. She returned to fifth place, and both Romanian gymnasts finished with scores of 13.700.

USA Gymnastics previously told PEOPLE in an email that the organization was extremely disappointed by the overturning of the ruling.

“We are saddened by the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s ruling regarding the women’s floor exercise. The investigation into the weight value of Jordan Chiles’ floor routine was submitted in good faith and, we believed, in accordance with FIG rules to ensure accurate scoring ,” the organization wrote.

USA Gymnastics added that Chiles has been receiving tons of hate mail since the floor final and called for an end to the attacks against her.

Team USA’s Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles pose with their Paris 2024 Olympic medals.

Jamie Squire/Getty

Why is Jordan Chiles losing his bronze medal? Unpacking the cheating allegations

“During the appeals process, Jordan was subjected to consistent, completely baseless and extremely hurtful attacks on social media,” USA Gymnastics wrote to PEOPLE. “No athlete should be subjected to such treatment. We condemn the attacks and those who participated in, supported or encouraged them. We commend Jordan for acting with integrity on and off the competition floor, and we continue to stand by and support her.”

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On Friday, August 9, Jordan’s mom, Gina Chiles, also called out those accusing her daughter of cheating, writing in a social media post that many of the criticisms leveled at Jordan were racist and “disgusting.”

“Racist disgusting comments are still happening in 2024. I’m tired of people saying it doesn’t exist anymore,” Gina wrote in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter).

“My daughter is a highly decorated Olympian with the biggest heart and a level of sportsmanship that is second to none…and she gets called disgusting things,” she added.

Jordan herself also briefly waded into the controversy, writing on her Instagram stories that she would be taking a break from social media after the verdict was overturned.

I am taking this time to remove myself from social media for my mental health, thank you, she wrote.

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Source: HIS Education