The decision of the Swiss Federal Court to annul the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and to resend for re-analysis the case of the bronze medal won by Ana Maria Bărbosu at the Olympic Games in Paris caused strong reactions in the world of gymnastics. Among those who commented on the situation is Nadia Comăneci, one of the most respected figures in Romanian sports.
The 64-year-old former Olympic champion told Gazeta Sporturilor that, beyond the legal proceedings, her main concern is “the profound impact on female athletes”.
“This prolongation of the state of uncertainty generates an emotional shock and a huge psychological pressure on the three gymnasts involved“, said Nadia Comăneci
The former great gymnast points out that after the huge effort made at the Olympic Games, the athletes should have enjoyed their performances, not been thrown into a “carousel of emotions”.
“It is unfortunate that, after a colossal sporting effort, young gymnasts are forced to go through this rollercoaster of emotions instead of enjoying their performance. Out of respect for their mental health and the values of the sport, it is essential that this process be resolved in a way that restores their balance and peace of mind“, said Nadia Comăneci for GSP.ro.
A Swiss court left Ana Bărbosu without her Olympic medal
We remind you that the gymnast Ana Maria Bărbosu (19 years old) was left, provisionally, without the medal won at the Olympic Games two years ago, in Paris.
The Swiss Federal Court approved the appeal filed by the American camp and annulled the decision taken by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, after which Ana had obtained the bronze.
The Swiss Federal Court sent the case for retrial, also to the Court of Lausanne. There, the American side will submit a new video sample, the recording that the Netflix platform made on the day of the final, writes golazo.ro.
Held on August 5, the floor final at the 2024 Olympics was shrouded in scandal. At the end of all the numbers, the Romanian Ana Bărbosu occupied the last step of the podium.
A few tens of seconds away, she was dethroned by the American Jordan Chiles, whose referees had approved her appeal and raised her mark enough to surpass Ana.
Bărbosu and the Romanian Gymnastics Federation filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the ad hoc division established specifically for the Olympic Games, claiming that Jordan Chiles’ camp filed the appeal during the contest 4 seconds after the end of the 1-minute time limit.
TAS ruled Ana Maria Bărbosu and recommended the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), the institution under whose auspices the Olympic competition was held, to return to the American’s initial score.
FIG complied, Chiles returned to the original grade and dropped to 5th, under Ana Bărbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea. Thus, the official podium remained Rebeca Andrade, Simone Biles, Ana Bărbosu.
