In a powerful testimony at the Forbes Power Women's Summit, American gymnast Jordan Chiles opened up about the emotional toll she experienced following the controversy surrounding her bronze medal win at the Paris Olympics. Chiles tearfully shared her perspective on the aftermath of the situation, where she was initially bumped from fifth to third place in the final floor exercise, only to have the bronze medal later stripped from her due to a rule violation.

During her speech, Chiles expressed the profound impact the ordeal had on her, stating, "The biggest thing that was taken from me was the recognition of who I was, not just my sport, but the person I am. To me, everything that has gone on, it's not about the medal, it's about my skin color. It's about the fact that there were things that have led up to this position of being an athlete, and I felt like everything has been stripped."

Chiles, who was competing in her second Olympics, initially finished the floor exercise final with a score of 13.666. However, Romaninan gymnasts Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea received scores of 13.700, with Barbosu earning a higher execution score. Following a team inquiry by Team USA, Chiles was placed on the podium with a revised score of 13.766, securing the bronze medal behind Brazil's Rebeca Andrade and her teammate Simone Biles.

Unfortunately, the Court of Arbitration for Sport later ruled that Team USA's review was submitted beyond the deadline, leading to the decision that Chiles must return her medal while Barbosu received it instead in a separate event following the Games.

Reflecting on her love for gymnastics, Chiles shared, "I felt like when I was back in 2018 where I did lose the love of the sport, I lost it again. I just feel like there wasn't a lot of people supporting me who I thought could support me in that situation, could help me, and I didn't feel like it, I felt like I was really left in the dark."

Chiles also referenced an earlier period in her career where she endured emotional and verbal abuse from a coach, expressing a sense of frustration at not being able to use her voice or be heard. She highlighted the importance of being able to speak up, but felt that in this particular situation, her voice was not fully heard.

Despite the challenges, Chiles emphasized that she had made history and would continue to do so. She stressed that she and her coach had followed all the rules diligently and felt that the authorities tried to prioritize gymnastics over her well-being.

The Olympic medal controversy was undeniably one of the most trying moments in Chiles' career. In a post on social media, she vowed to make every effort to ensure justice is served.

Chiles' emotional disclosure sheds light on the personal and racial implications of the Olympic controversy, highlighting the need for fair treatment and support within the world of gymnastics.