2026 Winter Olympics medals broken: Milan-Cortina organizers look into the matter

The problem also solved the German team that won the bronze medal in the biathlon. Video on Instagram, external It shows a medal falling from an athlete’s ribbon as they jump up and down in celebration at the team hotel.

Andrea Francesi, chief operations officer for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Games, said organizers were investigating the matter.

“We are fully aware of the situation,” Francis said. “We are looking into exactly what the problem is.

“We will pay maximum attention to the medals, and obviously this is something we want to be perfect when the medal is presented because this is one of the most important moments for the athletes.”

A US Olympic and Paralympic Committee spokesperson told BBC Sport they were waiting for organizers to resolve the issue.

It has not yet been confirmed whether the athletes will receive replacement medals.

This is not the first time the quality of medals awarded at the Olympic Games has been called into question.

As of February 2025, a total of 220 requests have been submitted to replace medals won at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games due to wear and tear – approximately 4% of those awarded.

Diver Jasmine Harper, winner of Team Britain’s first medal at the 2024 Olympics, was among the athletes who noticed her medal showed signs of “mutilation”.

Paris 2024 organizers said any damaged medals would be replaced.