As fans and celebrities continue to rally around Jordan Chiles amid her Olympic medal drama, the gymnast’s mother is giving one star a special shout-out.
“Thank you. Means the world,” Gina Chiles wrote via X on Monday, August 12, resharing a video Flavor Flav shared of the bronze clock necklace he made for Jordan, 23. “She’s not on socials right now as you can imagine. I’ll share it with her .”
Earlier this week, Flav, 65, announced via X that he was creating the custom piece for Jordan, writing, “Ayyy YOOOO @ChilesJordan ,,, imma make you a BRONZE CLOCK NECKLACE,,, and that’s something NO ONE else has,!!! Hit me up my girl,,, I gotchu,!!!”
He showed off the necklace in an X video on Monday. Hanging on a white rope chain, the pendant featured a clock bedazzled with bronze-colored gems. The rapper debuted the jewelry piece in patriotic fashion by filming it on an American flag backdrop.
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“USA gonna Fight the Powers that be,,, in the meantime between time,,, Imma always a man of my word @ChilesJordan,” he captioned the clip.
Flav’s support for Jordan comes after news that she will be stripped of her Olympic bronze medal. The athlete initially placed fifth in the women’s floor exercise final at the 2024 Paris Olympics on August 5. She was bumped into third place after her coach submitted an inquiry into her routine, causing her score to be changed.
Thank you. Means the world. She’s not on socials right now as you can imagine. I’ll share it with her. https://t.co/HzavHHYxhp
— Gina Chiles (@gina_chiles) August 13, 2024
Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu lost out on the bronze as a result, while her teammate Sabrina Maneca-Voinea’s score remained the same after their coaches placed an inquiry of their own into her performance. The results have sparked backlash from Team Romania, with Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu boycotting the closing ceremony in protest.
Five days later, the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) determined that Team USA’s inquiry into Jordan’s routine was filed four seconds over their one-minute deadline. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed one day later that Jordan’s medal would be stripped and reallocated to Barbosu, 18.
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On Sunday, August 11, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced plans to appeal the medal removal, with USA Gymnastics claiming to have “video evidence” proving the inquiry was made within the proper time limit. The appeal was ultimately denied by the CAS.
“USA Gymnastics was notified by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday that their rules do not allow for an arbitral award to be reconsidered even when conclusive new evidence is presented,” USA Gymnastics later wrote via X. “We are deeply disappointed by the notification and will continue to pursue every possible avenue and appeal process, including to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, to ensure the just scoring, placement and medal award for Jordan.”
Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman called the decision “so unfair” and “so cruel” during Monday’s episode of Today before offering a potential solution to the dispute. “The IOC has given more than one medal before, and I think they should do that now,” she stated. “It’s awful.”
Raisman, 30, also said she’s been in communication with Jordan — who announced she’d be taking a break from social media — throughout the medal controversy. “There’s been horrific bullying, and I just feel for her. My heart’s going out to her,” she added. “I support her fully, and I’m just so sad and so disappointed that this is happening, and it’s unfair.”