The young Californian gymnast said losing the bronze medal at Paris 2024 was both devastating and unfair.

The 23-year-old from Los Angeles also mentioned that the attacks on social media have been extremely painful as she tries to recover from the controversy surrounding the floor exercise final.

Chiles was placed third in the floor exercise after the judges overturned the score, but Romania appealed the decision and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that the USA's appeal was filed too late, leading the International Gymnastics Federation to award the medal to Romania's Ana Barbosu.

USA Gymnastics (USAG) appealed the CAS decision with time-stamped video evidence showing the appeal was filed on time, but CAS said it could not reconsider its decision, prompting USAG to vow to take the case to the Swiss Federal Tribunal.

"While celebrating my Olympic achievements, I received the devastating news that my bronze medal had been stripped from me," Chiles said in a statement posted on X on Thursday.

"I had confidence in the appeal filed by USAG, which provided conclusive evidence that my score was in accordance with all rules. That appeal was unsuccessful."

"I am at a loss for words. This decision feels unfair and is a significant blow, not only to me, but to everyone who has supported my journey," added the Tokyo 2020 silver medallist.

"To add to the pain, the unprovoked racist attacks on social media are wrong and extremely hurtful. I have poured my heart and soul into this sport and I am very proud to represent my culture and my country."

Despite the pain and setbacks, Chiles said she believes there will eventually be a just outcome.

"I am now facing one of the most challenging moments of my career," she wrote. "Believe me when I say I have faced many. I will approach this challenge as I have others, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that justice is done," said the gold medal-winning athlete, who was part of the triumphant US team.

"I believe that at the end of this journey, those responsible will do the right thing. I am overwhelmed by the love I have received over the past few days. I am also incredibly grateful to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, USAG and the USOPC (US Olympic and Paralympic Committee) for their unwavering support during this difficult time," Chiles wrote.

"Finding joy again has been a culture change and I love seeing others embrace it. I feel I have given everyone permission to be authentic to who they are," concluded the gymnast, who expressed her ambition to compete in the 2028 Games in her home city.

This unexpected outcome has highlighted the importance of rules in high performance sport and sparked a debate about transparency and fairness in the judging of competitions.