Romanian PM to boycott Olympics' closing ceremony after gymnastics 'scandalous situation'

Paris: Romania s Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said Tuesday that he will boycott the Paris Olympics closing ceremony due to a scandalous situation...

Paris: Romania’s Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said Tuesday that he will boycott the Paris Olympics ’ closing ceremony due to a "scandalous situation” that cost a Romanian gymnast a bronze medal.

Ana Barbosu had already begun celebrating her bronze for the floor event Monday when coaches for American Jordan Chiles entered an appeal to judges over Chiles' score. The inquiry result in a 0.1 boost for Chiles, enough to overtake Barbosu for the last spot on the Olympic podium.

"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 promised Romania would honor Barbosu and fifth-place finisher Sabrina Maneca-Voinea, also Romanian, as Olympic medalists, "including in terms of the prizes.”

"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 said.