Romania's PSD urges government to fund legal fight for Ana Maria Bărbosu's Olympic bronze

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) called on the Romanian state to pay the court fees needed to defend gymnast Ana Maria Bărbosu’s Olympic bronze medal at the Sports Arbitration Tribunal in Lausanne. PSD posted on Facebook that a government that refuses to protect national values to save budget money is “anti‑reform” and jeopardises Romania’s pride.

Bărbosu originally earned the bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Games, but a protest by the United States team regarding Jordan Chiles’ routine led to her being moved to fourth place. The Tribunal later ruled the U.S. protest was filed after the deadline, restored Chiles’s score, and returned the bronze to Bărbosu. New video evidence prompted the Swiss Federal Tribunal to order a retrial at the TAS.

PSD demands that the state cover the legal costs, arguing that the case concerns more than a single athlete and reflects the nation’s honor.