Nadia Comaneci: ‘I Don’t See The Heel Touching Down…Do You?’

‘I don’t see the heel touching down…do you?’ This is what Nadia Comaneci, the exceptional Romanian gymnast, wrote on X. The post shows Sabrina Voinea never touching down with her heel and never making it a walkout, which was the official reason for which she was penalized a one-tenth deduction from her final score during the Paris Olympics.

I don’t see the heel touching down.. do you? #sabrinavoinea pic.twitter.com/KZzmj5kcoD

— Nadia Comaneci (@nadiacomaneci10) August 6, 2024

A bronze medal ripped off Sabrina, like her colleague, Ana Barbosu, who broke down in tears after an inquiry led to her losing the individual bronze in the women’s floor exercise final at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Monday. The medal was instead taken by American Jordan Chiles, who had demanded an inquiry into her score.

Nadia Comaneci also mentioned that the FIG president received the same video but that the referees only saw images from above and couldn’t tell if Sabrina’s step was a walkout.

This is the first time a review of an exercise has been requested after the Olympics in gymnastics are over, I think. Everything has to happen at the venue, not after. Luckily, I got some video from NBC, which clearly shows that the walkout was not a walkout. From what I understand, the line judges have an overhead camera. From above, you cannot see the details of touching or not touching. That was a bit of a question mark. Everyone who received these videos, including the FIG president, is trying to see this ground review. I don’t know what will happen, but waves have been made; the world is curious and needs answers and the technicality that was used to make this one-tenth deduction, with which, of course, she climbed to 3rd place.

Nadia Comaneci on the unjustice towards the Romaian gymnast Sabrina Voinea

Sabina’s mother’s disappointment after this unjust decision was even higher, and she announced that her daughter had left Gymanstic for good.

Sabrina didn’t go off the mat on any acrobatic lines; they’re all here. He deserves a medal! We have interrupted gymnastics today, and no one is fighting for our rights! We love all of you endlessly who have supported us. That’s all I could take!

Camelia Voinea on her daughter being sanctioned at Paris Olympics

The Romanian Gymnastics Federation contested the referee’s decision and complained at TAS – The Court of Arbitration for Sport.