The Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee is currently reviewing the score of one of their gymnasts following a controversial decision that prevented her from securing a medal in the women’s artistic gymnastics floor exercise final yesterday.
In the competition, Romanian gymnasts Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Voinea were defeated by American gymnast Jordan Chiles, after Team USA successfully appealed Chiles’ difficulty score.
The judges adjusted Chiles’ D-score from 5.8 to 5.9, which elevated her from fifth to third place, awarding her the bronze medal that Barbosu initially believed she had won.
In response, the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee is challenging a decision that resulted in Voinea receiving a 0.100 point deduction.
Voinea’s deduction was likely due to stepping out of bounds, but the Committee is seeking a review of the scoring process.
Mihai Covaliu, President of the Romanian Olympic Committee, sent a formal protest letter to the International Gymnastics Federation regarding the contentious ruling.
The letter states: “With respect to Olympic values, the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee forwards this address, by which it respectfully requests you to order the re-analysis [of] the decision making factors of the case of the Romanian athlete Sabrina Maneca Voinea regarding the score given to the execution of the exercise in the floor final, contested on Monday, August 5, 2024.
“We make this request based on the care that the International Olympic Committee and the entire world sports movement gives to the athlete.
“The way of assessing the score awarded and the refusal to fully present the reasons/evidence for the rejection of the appeal submitted within the deadline provided by the regulation brings serious damage both to the image of international gymnastics but especially affects the athlete, endangering his mental health.
“The media coverage of the case of the Romanian sportswoman at the international level, her public declaration to give up practicing this sport as a result of today’s decision morally obliges the decision-makers to reanalyze, substantiate and communicate the final decision.
“The balanced and objective policy that [the International Gymnastics Federation] promotes gives us confidence in the fair resolution of the presented case.”
Chiles secured the bronze medal with a score of 13.766.
Voinea’s score was adjusted to 13.700 after her deduction.
If the International Gymnastics Federation agrees to the Romanian Olympic Committee’s request, Voinea’s score could be revised, potentially restoring the 0.100 points lost and increasing her score to 13.800, which could displace Chiles from the bronze medal position.