More than 100 medals from the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics are being replaced due to rapid deterioration. Athletes have complained about the poor quality of the medals, posting photos online showing the conditions.
Each medal features a piece of the Eiffel Tower, adding to the controversy surrounding their unexpected degradation. The replacement process began in August 2024 and will continue into 2025. The issue highlights concern about the quality control of the official Olympic medals.
The French mint, Monnaie de Paris, produced 5,084 medals for the Games. They were designed by Parisian jewelry house Chaumet and included a hexagonal, polished piece of iron from the Eiffel Tower embedded in each gold, silver, and bronze medal.
The Monnaie de Paris has acknowledged the issue and has been working to replace damaged medals since the first requests were made in August. The mint has also modified its varnishing process to address the issue and will replace damaged medals at the athletes’ request during the first quarter of 2025.
The number of returned medals has not been confirmed, with the French website La Lettre reporting that over 100 medals have been returned. The French Olympic committee and IOC would not reveal the exact figures. The IOC has stated that damaged medals will be systematically replaced and engraved identically to the originals.
A spokesperson for the Monnaie de Paris has said that the term “defective” is not correct and that the medals have been “damaged”. They claim that all damaged medals reported since August have already been replaced.
The quality concerns emerged before the end of the Games, when American skateboarder Nyjah Huston posted a video showing how quickly his bronze medal had changed. Other athletes have also posted images of their medals, with some describing them as looking like “crocodile skin”. One of the complaints from Huston stated that the medal was not as high quality as it should be after wearing it while sweating and letting friends wear it.
The iron pieces embedded in the center of the medals weigh 18 grams. They were cut from girders and other bits that were swapped out during renovations of the Tower. According to La Lettre, the medals had to “bear the brunt of the new products used” because regulations banned a component of the varnish that was previously used, forcing a last-minute replacement.
Despite the issues, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games organizers are working to replace the defective medals and restore the integrity of these coveted awards.
Follow a discussion on the medal situation here.