The bronze medal awarded to Jordan Chiles at the 2024 Paris Olympics was recently stripped of the gymnast due to a points dispute. When Flavor Flav – the official sponsor of the US women’s water polo team – heard the news, he promised to give her a bronze watch.
“Ayyy YOOOO @ChilesJordan I’m making you a BRONZE WATCH NECKLACE and NO ONE else has this!!!” he wrote on Twitter (X). “Hit me my girl I got you!!!” In record time, Flavor Flav made good on his promise, saying: “The USA will fight the powerful to save our girl Jordan Chiles but in the meantime I got you this one of a kind bronze watch. Thanks to @ROCK’N STONES for making this gem so fast!!!”
Ayyy, YAY @ChilesJordan ,,, I’ll make you a BRONZE WATCH NECKLACE,,, and NO ONE else has it,!!! Contact me, my girl,,, I’ve got you,!!! pic.twitter.com/qFVzkgkx25
— FLAVOR FLAV (@FlavorFlav) 11 August 2024
The US will fight against the powerful, in the meantime,
I will always keep my word @ChilesJordan https://t.co/evxFPV0YEd pic.twitter.com/rz72uZeWEz— FLAVOR FLAV (@FlavorFlav) 13 August 2024
Chiles is now rightly taking a break from social media as she focuses on her mental health. As is fitting, she has been the victim of cyberbullying since the whole debacle began. Her mother, Gina, on the other hand, happened to see Flavor Flav’s posts and kindly responded, “Thank you. This means the world to me. As you can imagine, she is not on social media at the moment. I will let her know.”
Chiles initially finished fifth in the competition on August 5 before US coach Cecile Landi successfully argued that Chiles’ difficulty rating had been set too low. Officials on site agreed and adjusted their rating by 0.1 point to 13.766, putting Chiles ahead of two Romanian athletes. As a result, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced that he would not attend the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games in protest.
Almost a week later, the International Olympic Committee announced it would follow the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which had ruled that Landis’ protest came 64 seconds after the results were announced – when the time limit for such a debate is one minute.
Chile’s bronze medal, won for her floor exercise, was ultimately stripped by the International Olympic Committee and awarded to Romanian gymnast Ana Bărbosu. The decision sparked an uproar on social media, with many calling it “deeply anti-black.”
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee appealed, but the appeal was rejected.
Flavor Flav’s involvement with the Olympics began when he saw a social media post by U.S. women’s water polo team captain Maggie Steffens asking for financial support. Moved by her commitment, Flav decided to sponsor the team for five years, providing both financial and physical support.
In addition to cheering on the team from the sidelines, he also accompanied them at training, where his trademark enthusiasm boosted the players’ morale. His involvement has also helped to raise awareness of water polo, especially in communities that have not traditionally been involved in the sport.
