Romanian Leader Opts Out of Olympics Closing Ceremony Following Gymnastics Controversy

August 8, 2024 TruthUSA

Prime Minister Ciolacu stated, “I just choose to protest with my gesture against a blatant injustice towards some Romanian women.”

The prime minister of Romania declared that he would skip the Paris Olympics closing ceremony in response to the controversial decision made by gymnastics judges, causing two Romanian gymnasts to miss out on medals during the women’s final.

“I decided not to attend the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics, following the scandalous situation in the gymnastics, where our athletes were treated in an absolutely dishonorable manner,” Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu wrote on Facebook. “To withdraw a medal earned for honest work on the basis of an appeal, which neither the coaches nor the top technicians understand, is totally unacceptable!”

U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles ultimately won the bronze medal after appealing her score in the women’s floor final. Initially, two Romanian gymnasts, Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Voinea, were tied for third place, with Barbosu in line for the bronze medal.

Barbosu believed she had secured a medal in Monday’s floor final until Chiles’s final score was adjusted following an appeal, placing her ahead of Barbosu’s score.

Chiles mentioned that she was unaware that her coaches had submitted an inquiry for her score. When she learned of the updated score, she expressed pride in her achievement.

Prime Minister Ciolacu expressed his dismay with the judges’ decision, stating that it reminded him of past instances where Romanians were unfairly treated, akin to being overruled by the Soviet Union in previous Olympic Games.

Nadia Comaneci, a retired Romanian gymnast with multiple Olympic gold medals, criticized the review process that led to Chiles’s win.

She also posted a video clip of the NBC prime-time broadcast of the final event, claiming that Voinea’s penalty was unjustified.

The Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee stated that they had requested an analysis from the International Federation of Gymnastics regarding the penalization of the gymnast.

“We remind you that Sabrina Voinea was penalized for allegedly stepping outside the line with her heel during an acrobatic move. Video evidence confirms otherwise,” the translation from Romanian read.

The International Gymnastics Federation has not publicly responded to the claims as of The Epoch Times’ inquiries.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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