Handle with care is the advice from gold medalist Breezy Johnson at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, where she and several other athletes experienced their medals breaking shortly after receiving them. Olympic officials are currently conducting an investigation into the matter, showing significant concern as multiple medals detached from their ribbons during celebratory moments over the opening weekend of the Games.
Johnson, who clinched the women’s downhill ski gold medal, shared her experience of the mishap, cautioning against excessive excitement, which led to her medal breaking. She expressed optimism that the issue would be resolved, describing the damage as minor. Fortunately, Johnson quickly received a replacement before the combined team event on Tuesday, although the new medal still awaits engraving.
When questioned about keeping the damaged medal, Johnson humorously shook her head, mentioning the limitations on possessing multiple medals. Additionally, footage from German television captured biathlete Justus Strelow realizing that his mixed relay bronze medal had detached from its ribbon and fallen to the ground during a celebratory dance with teammates. Despite his attempts to reattach it, a piece of the clasp remained broken.
A video shared by U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu on social media displayed her team event gold medal detached from its official ribbon, accompanied by a lighthearted caption emphasizing the medal itself. Andrea Francisi, the chief Games operations officer for the Milano-Cortina organizing committee, acknowledged the issue and reassured that they are actively seeking a resolution to ensure the medals’ integrity, emphasizing the importance of this symbolic moment for athletes.
This incident is not the first time Olympic medals’ quality has faced scrutiny, as concerns arose after the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris when some medals required replacement due to complaints about tarnishing and corrosion, resulting in a patchy appearance resembling crocodile skin.