Paris 2024 Olympic medals to be replaced after they flake and rust
Red-faced Olympics chiefs have pledged to replace defective medals from the Paris 2024 Games after more than 100 athletes complained that they have begun to flake and rust.
Just days after the closing ceremony, disgruntled athletes began sharing pictures of their damaged medals on social media and demanding they be replaced.
American skateboarder Nyjah Huston flagged his defective bronze medal within two weeks of receiving it, saying it was “looking rough” and “starting to chip off a little”.
Since then, other medalists have come forward, including British diver Yasmin Harper, who said hers had suffered from “tarnishing” and was “discoloured”.
The International Olympic Committee said: “Damaged medals will be systematically replaced by the Monnaie de Paris and engraved in an identical way to the originals.
“The process to provide any replacements should start in the coming weeks… managed by Paris 2024 and Monnaie de Paris, together with the National Olympic Committees of the athletes concerned.”
The development is embarrassing for the IOC, Paris 2024 organisers, French mint the Monnaie de Paris, which made the gongs, and LVMH, whose Chaumet brand designed them.
Managers at the mint are reported to have been sacked over the scandal.
French swimmer Yohann Ndoye-Brouard joked that his medal looked like one from the previous Paris Olympics in 1924, while his 4×100 medley relay teammate Clement Secchi likened his to “crocodile skin”.
US fencer Nick Itkin also posted pictures of his flaking bronze medal and said he would request a new one.
Bronze medals are believed to be the worst affected. The French mint has blamed the rapid deterioration on a change to the composition of its varnish.
LVMH, which was prominent at Paris 2024 through its other brands including Moet & Chandon and Louis Vuitton, declined to comment as it did not make the medals, the New York Times reported.