Handle with care, that’s the advice from gold medalist Breezy Johnson at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics as she and fellow athletes discovered their medals breaking shortly after receiving them.
The Olympic committee is currently investigating the issue with great attention following several instances of medals detaching from their ribbons during celebratory moments at the start of the Games.
Johnson, who secured the women’s downhill ski gold medal, shared her experience saying, “Don’t jump in them. I was jumping in excitement, and it broke. I’m sure somebody will fix it. It’s not seriously damaged, but slightly broken.”
Fortunately, Johnson quickly received a replacement before the combined team event on Tuesday, although the new medal still requires engraving. When asked if she could keep the damaged one, Johnson humorously shook her head, mentioning the limitations on multiple medals.
In a captured TV footage from Germany, biathlete Justus Strelow was seen realizing that the mixed relay bronze he had won had fallen off the ribbon around his neck and landed on the floor while he was dancing with teammates. Despite his efforts to reattach the medal, it was observed that a smaller piece, likely the clasp, had broken off and remained on the ground.
American figure skater Alysa Liu also faced a similar issue, sharing a video on social media of her team event gold medal detached from its official ribbon with a caption stating, “My medal doesn’t need the ribbon.”
Andrea Francisi, the chief Games operations officer for the Milano-Cortina organizing committee, acknowledged the situation and assured that they are actively working on a resolution. He emphasized the importance of ensuring that the moment athletes receive their medals is flawless, as it is a significant highlight for them.
This incident is not the first time concerns have been raised about the quality of Olympic medals. Following the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, some medals had to be replaced due to complaints from athletes about tarnishing and corrosion, causing a mottled appearance likened to crocodile skin.