Romanian PM boycotting Olympics ceremony over 'scandalous' gymnastics medal withdrawal

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Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said Tuesday he will boycott the Paris Olympics’ closing ceremony over a scoring decision in the women's gymnastics floor final. 

Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu had initially clinched the bronze medal for floor on Monday and began celebrating on the mat. But then U.S. coaches appealed to judges over Jordan Chiles’ score, and a review resulted in a 0.1-point increase, which moved Chiles ahead of Barbosu for the bronze medal. 

Barbosu was then left off the podium. She was holding a Romanian flag when she looked up and saw the scoring change on the board. Just then, she dropped the flag, covered her face with her hands and walked away in tears.

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Ana Barbosu of Romania during the women's floor exercise final on day ten of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris.  (Daniela Porcelli/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

"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," Ciolacu said in a Facebook post. "To withdraw a medal earned for honest work on the basis of an appeal … is totally unacceptable!"

Ciolacu added that Romania would still honor Barbosu and her teammate Sabrina Maneca-Voinea, who finished fifth after the review nudged her from fourth, as Olympic medalists. Both will be rewarded medal prize money. 

"You have with you an entire nation for which your work and tears are more precious than any medal, no matter what precious metal they are from," Ciolacu wrote.

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