Several Olympic athletes, including speed skaters Jutta Leerdam and Femke Kok, have reported problems with their medals detaching from the ribbons, highlighting concerns about the durability of the awards.
NOS Schaatsen, Netherlands
During interviews, Jutta Leerdam mentioned that her gold medal had temporarily come loose from its ribbon. The organizing committee has acknowledged the issue and stated that they are paying “maximum attention” to ensuring the medals are presented properly. They emphasized the importance of the medal ceremony as a key moment in an athlete’s career.
Similar problems have been observed in other sports as well. Ski racer Breezy Johnson revealed that her gold medal had also detached following her downhill event. Additionally, footage shared on Instagram showed a medal being tossed in the air during celebrations with German biathletes, further illustrating the fragility concerns.
The root cause appears to be the material linking the medal to the ribbon, which has been prone to breaking. This issue follows previous complaints from the Summer Olympics in Paris, where some medals experienced rusting. Ski athlete Ebba Andersen from Sweden also suffered significant damage when her medal broke after falling on hard snow. Andersen has called on the International Olympic Committee to develop a contingency plan to address these recurring problems.
