Organisers of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are investigating why some medals are breaking. Several athletes reported problems with their medals soon after receiving them.
US Athletes Report Medal Issues
Gold medallists Breezy Johnson and Alysa Liu shared that the ribbon on their medals came apart. Johnson, who won the women’s downhill alpine skiing event, showed the broken medal during a post-event press conference. She explained how the small piece meant to connect the medal to the ribbon had come off.
Liu posted a video on social media after winning gold in the team figure skating event. The video shows her holding the ribbon and medal separately, joking that her “medal don’t need the ribbon.”
German Team Also Affected
The German biathlon team faced a similar problem. An Instagram video shows a medal falling from the ribbon while athletes celebrated at their hotel.
Organisers Respond
Andrea Francisi, Milan-Cortina 2026 Chief Games Operations Officer, confirmed that the organisers are aware of the situation. Francisi said they are investigating the cause and are committed to ensuring medals are perfect when handed to athletes.
A spokesperson for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee said they are waiting for the organisers to resolve the issue. It has not been confirmed whether replacement medals will be issued.
Medal Quality Concerns Are Not New
This is not the first time Olympic medals have raised concerns. After the Paris 2024 Games, 220 requests were made to replace medals due to wear and tear. Diver Yasmin Harper noticed tarnishing on her medal, and organisers replaced any damaged awards.
