Olympic gymnast and “Dancing with the Stars” semifinalist Jordan Chiles is speaking out about the painful aftermath of having her Paris 2024 bronze medal revoked, claiming racism played a role in the controversy that shook the gymnastics world last summer. Chiles originally finished fifth in the women’s floor exercise at the Paris Games before a U.S. appeal raised her score by one-tenth of a point, enough to bump her into third place behind Rebeca Andrade and Simone Biles. However, the decision triggered an outcry from Romania’s gymnastics federation, which filed an appeal claiming the U.S. challenge came four seconds past the one-minute deadline allowed for score disputes. The Court of Arbitration for Sport ultimately sided with Romania, ordering that the bronze medal be reallocated to Ana Barbosu, who was celebrated with a ceremony in Bucharest.

The incident escalated to a diplomatic level when Romania’s prime minister threatened to boycott the Olympic closing ceremony unless the medal was reinstated, prompting the International Olympic Committee to confirm Chiles’ appeal was invalid due to timing.

Now, over one year later, the Team USA star reflected on the incident for the first time in depth, alleging that the backlash surrounding the all-Black podium she shared with Simone Biles and Rebeca Andrade was driven by racial bias. “At first, I didn’t think of it in that way until I started literally getting racist comments and people telling me to kill myself,” Chiles said during a recent appearance on “Baby, This Is Keke Palmer.” “It got to a really, really tough point. I had to get off social media for a while.”

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Chiles doubled down, saying that now, having had time to process what she believes was an uncomfortable truth behind the outrage.

“Yes, it’s an ‘all-Black’ podium, which is very rare,” she continued to tell Keke Palmer. “It’s obviously something that people don’t like. As a woman of color, I started seeing it more. They didn’t want to see three beautiful Black women standing on that podium. They didn’t want to see the fact that we were just dominating. And I really took that to heart.”

The gymnast said the online harassment following the decision became unbearable, forcing her to step away from social media. “It was really hard to even see that, as an athlete,” she shared.

While this is the first time she has spoken in depth about the situation, she has previously written about it in her book “I’m That Girl.” In it, Chiles didn’t hold back when reflecting on the chaotic aftermath of the Paris 2024 Games. “I was crushed and angry,” she wrote. “None of this would have happened if Ana’s coach, who knew that Cecile had submitted an inquiry right after my floor routine, had waited for the inquiry results to come in before allowing Ana to take the podium, holding her flag.”

Chiles called the move “highly unusual and premature,” noting that her own coaches would never have celebrated before results were finalized. “Everyone knows you don’t celebrate until after everything is final, and an inquiry for my score had been announced.”

She went on to describe the ruling as “surprising and outrageous,” writing, “Once the medal ceremony has happened, that is the final result unless a drug or rules violation is discovered. That had been the case at every single Olympics in history.”

Earlier this year, Chiles opened up to fans on Instagram, marking the one-year anniversary of the Paris floor final that changed her life. In a heartfelt post, the Olympic gymnast reflected on the lessons she’s carried since the medal controversy. “A year ago today, I walked off the floor in Paris with a bronze medal, and lessons I’ll carry with me for life,” she wrote. “The hardest moments really do teach you the most. This year had its highs, but the lows hit different.”

Her message, paired with photos from the Games and moments of quiet reflection, struck a chord with fans and fellow athletes alike. It was a reminder that, for Chiles, growth often comes through adversity, and that even after heartbreak, she continues to rise with grace, grit, and gratitude.

Despite the emotional toll, Chiles has pushed forward. The 23-year-old athlete is currently competing on Season 34 of “Dancing with the Stars” with partner Ezra Sosa, earning praise for her strength, stage presence, and resilience. Her appearance on the show marks a new chapter, which she’s using to celebrate joy and perseverance, even as she continues to grapple with the loss of her medal.

“I learned that sometimes you can do everything right and still face hate,” Chiles said during her interview. “But what matters most is how you rise after it.”