According to Forbes, on January 29, 2026, the Swiss Federal Supreme Court confirmed it has accepted gymnast Jordan Chiles’ request to review the decision that stripped her of her 2024 Olympic bronze medal. The court cited “new evidence,” specifically an audio-visual recording discovered after the original ruling, that could warrant a modification of the award. This evidence is footage from a Religion of Sports documentary crew that was filming Simone Biles during the floor exercise finals. The case has now been referred back to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which must re-examine the situation. This development revives a saga that began 531 days ago when CAS demoted Chiles from third to fifth place over a four-second inquiry timing issue, giving the bronze to Romania’s Ana Bărbosu.
The Evidence Game
Here’s the thing that gets me: the entire original case hinged on a four-second window. Not a disputed landing or a form deduction, but a bureaucratic timer. And the CAS apparently refused to even look at video evidence during the first go-around? That seems like a pretty massive procedural flaw. Chiles’ legal team argued it violated her fundamental “right to be heard,” and the Swiss court basically agreed. It’s wild to think a documentary crew, there to capture the drama of the Games, might have accidentally captured the key to overturning a monumental sports ruling. Talk about a plot twist nobody saw coming.
What Happens Next
Now, the ball is back in CAS’s court. Literally. They have to review this new footage and decide if it’s truly “conclusive,” as Chiles’ lawyer claims. But there’s no timetable. So we’re back in a holding pattern, potentially for months more. Think about the human element here. Chiles is finishing her NCAA career at UCLA, and Bărbosu is a freshman at Stanford. They’re both competing in college gym, living their lives, with this massive “what if” still hanging over them. How do you even focus? The mental toll has to be immense, even if both athletes are publicly staying quiet for now.
A Broader Precedent
This is bigger than one bronze medal. It’s a challenge to the infallibility of sports arbitration. The Swiss Federal Tribunal is the only body that can overrule CAS, and they don’t do it lightly. By accepting this revision, they’re sending a message that procedural justice matters. If this video proves the inquiry was on time, it exposes a huge crack in the system—a medal decided by a stopwatch error that video could have instantly corrected. What does that say about other close calls in Olympic history? It makes you wonder how many other decisions were made based on incomplete information.
The Long Road to Justice
Look, nothing is guaranteed. CAS could review the tape and still uphold its original decision. But for the first time in a year and a half, there’s a legitimate path forward for Chiles. Her lawyer’s statement is full of fight, saying she’s “ready to fight vigorously.” And she’s got the full backing of USA Gymnastics. This has been a brutal lesson in how slow, meticulous, and unforgiving the legal machinery of sports can be. Basically, it’s a marathon, not a vault. And Jordan Chiles just got told she gets to run the final leg again.
