Nadia Comaneci Criticizes Judges Over Score Change at Olympics
- Romania's Ana Barbosu was emotional after judges altered Jordan Chiles' score during the Paris Olympics.
- Nadia Comaneci, a legendary gymnast, publicly criticized the decision, highlighting concerns over fairness.
- The incident raises questions about judging transparency in competitive sports.
In a dramatic turn of events at the Olympics, gymnast Barbosu initially celebrated what she believed was a bronze medal in the women’s floor exercise after Jordan Chiles received a score of 13.666. However, the excitement was short-lived as officials later revised Chiles' score to 13.766 following an inquiry, securing her place on the podium and leaving Barbosu disappointed. The score change has drawn criticism from gymnastics legend Nadia Comaneci, who expressed her disbelief on social media, stating, "I can’t believe we play with athletes' mental health and emotions like this… let’s protect them." Comaneci, a nine-time Olympic medalist and the first gymnast to achieve a perfect 10, emphasized the need for better consideration of athletes' well-being in such situations. Team USA coach Cecile Landi defended the decision to challenge the score, explaining that they had "nothing to lose" and decided to take a chance. Landi recounted her surprise when the score change was confirmed, highlighting the emotional rollercoaster experienced by the athletes involved. Barbosu, at just 18 years old, was competing in her first Olympics after a successful junior career, where she won multiple gold medals at the 2020 Junior European Championships. Her journey continues to be closely followed, as she has also excelled in various national competitions leading up to the Games. The Associated Press contributed to this report, which underscores the intense emotions and controversies surrounding Olympic competition.