Over 100 athletes return their Olympic medals from Paris 2024. What's the issue?
Over 100 athletes who became medalists at the Paris 2024 Olympics have returned their medals due to a significant issue: rust, reports Bild. The main problem has been the deterioration of the medals' quality, with visible corrosion appearing on them.
The controversy began in the summer when American skateboarder Nyjah Huston shared a video showing his medal in poor condition just days after receiving it.
"These Olympic medals look stunning when new. But if you wear them for a while, especially on your skin and sweat a bit, you realize they aren’t as high-quality as they seemed. I mean, just look at it. Even the front is cracking," Huston stated.
Since then, more athletes have contacted the IOC with similar complaints. The issue has particularly affected bronze medals, which are not made of pure bronze but rather an alloy of metals (primarily zinc, tin, and copper).
The IOC has released a statement confirming that all defective medals will be replaced by the manufacturer, Monnaie de Paris.
Yasmine Green
Dailysports's expert
Translated by the editors
