The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed on Monday that the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Organising Committee is addressing concerns about medal quality. They are working with the Monnaie de Paris, the French mint responsible for creating the medals.
The IOC stated that any defective medals will be replaced with identical ones by the Monnaie de Paris. The replacement medals will also be engraved.
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The IOC anticipates the replacement process to begin within the next few weeks.
A Monnaie de Paris spokesperson clarified that they prefer the term “damaged” instead of “defective” to describe the medals athletes have reported issues with since August. These medals are already being replaced.
“We have replaced all the damaged medals since August and we will continue to do so in the same professional manner as before,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson confirmed that replacements are already “underway” and are being handled “as requests come in.”
French online media outlet La Lettre reported that over 100 medals have been returned by athletes due to deterioration.
Some Olympians shared images of their damaged medals on social media. American skateboarder Nyjah Huston, bronze medalist in street skateboarding, was one of them.
“These Olympic medals look great when they’re brand new, but after letting it sit on my skin with some sweat for a little bit and then letting my friends wear it over the weekend, they’re apparently not as high quality as you would think,” he said.
“It’s looking rough. Even the front. It’s starting to chip off a little.”
La Lettre suggests that the issue stems from new regulations regarding the medal’s varnish. A previously used component was banned, requiring a last-minute replacement that may have affected the medals’ durability.
Luxury jeweler and watchmaker Chaumet, part of the LVMH group, designed the 5,084 gold, silver, and bronze medals. The Monnaie de Paris produced them.
A unique feature of the Paris 2024 medals is the inclusion of a small piece of the Eiffel Tower. This metal fragment comes from the Parisian monument’s operating company’s stock.