During the initial days of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, a series of incidents have emerged in which athletes' medals have broken or become detached from their ribbons during celebratory moments. This unexpected occurrence has led to an official investigation by the event organizers, who are prioritizing the resolution of these issues.
One notable case involved Breezy Johnson, a gold medalist in the women's downhill skiing event, who found her medal to be compromised after jubilant celebrations. Johnson recounted that while she was jumping in excitement, the medal sustained damage, causing it to break to a certain extent. She remains optimistic that the medal can be repaired, describing the damage as minor rather than severe.
Additionally, German biathlete Justus Strelow experienced his bronze medal slipping from its ribbon during a team celebration. Footage captured the moment the medal fell to the ground as Strelow was dancing with teammates. Despite attempts to reattach the medal, it became clear that a small component, likely the clasp, had broken and remained on the floor.
In another instance, U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu shared on social media a video highlighting her team event gold medal disengaged from its official ribbon. Liu expressed a pragmatic attitude toward the situation, emphasizing that her medal's significance was not diminished by the detached ribbon.
Andrea Francisi, Milan Cortina's chief games operations officer, acknowledged the situation and affirmed that organizers are carefully examining the details. He stressed the importance of presenting athletes with medals that are flawless at the moment they are awarded, describing the medal as a central symbol of athletes’ aspirations. Efforts are underway to thoroughly understand the cause of the issue and to develop appropriate remedies.
This is not the first time Olympic medals have faced scrutiny regarding quality. For instance, after the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, some medals required replacement due to athletes reporting tarnishing or corrosion that affected their appearance.