U.S. gymnasts are looking to overturn a decision that stripped them of their first Olympic medal in an individual event.
Maybe the video footage will help her.
Chilean lawyers are seeking to overturn a decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport that downgraded Romania’s bronze medallist in the floor exercise at last month’s Olympics.
Childs was awarded the medal on Aug. 5 after the judges, following an investigation by her coach, Cecil Lundy, raised Childs’ score, moving her to third place from her initial fifth place ranking as a UCLA gymnast. This led to a historic moment in which Biles, the gold medalist, Childs, the silver medalist and Childs, the third place winner, took the same spot.
But a few days later, after a hearing requested by Romanian authorities, the CAS ruled that Randi’s investigation had gone four seconds over the one-minute limit, and the International Olympic Committee awarded Barbos the bronze medal, dropping Chile to fifth place.
USA Gymnastics immediately appealed the decision to the CAS, submitting video evidence that purportedly showed Lundy’s question was asked 47 seconds after Childs’ score was announced.
The footage was submitted as evidence in a Swiss court on Monday, and Childs’ lawyers wrote in their filing that it was provided by “Simone Biles Rising” director Katie Walsh and her production company Religion of Sport. Walsh and her team traveled to Paris to film, and also captured the footage that is key to Childs’ case.
According to court documents filed in German, Walsh contacted Lundy after Childs’ sentencing to express his support, asking if the director had any footage of what happened after Childs’ floor exercise and eventually receiving a video containing footage from three cameras and a timing clock that Religion of Sport had at the event.
Maurice Sue, an attorney for Religion of Sports & Chilis, did not respond to a request for comment for this article.
According to court documents, the video shows Lundy approaching the judges’ table 47 seconds after Chiles’ score is displayed. Lundy can be heard verbally objecting two seconds later, and the technical assistant can be seen making eye contact with her and acknowledging that the objection was accepted, according to the lawsuit. Lundy verbally objected at least one more time before the 60-second time limit expired.
Su said in a statement on Monday that CAS’s refusal to provide video evidence violated Chilis’ “right to express his opinion,” and that there was a “serious conflict of interest” because the head of the CAS committee handling Chilis’ case was also representing Romania as a lawyer at the time of the hearing.
Chiles and Biles are among the gymnasts competing in the at Crypto.com Arena on Friday.
