American skateboarder Nyjah Huston, who clinched a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, has voiced concerns about the quality of his prize. Following the closing ceremony on Sunday, Huston took to Instagram to reveal the deteriorating condition of his medal.
“All right, so these Olympic medals look great when they are brand new,” Huston stated in a video, showing the wear and tear on his bronze medal. “But after letting it sit on my skin with some sweat and then letting my friends wear it over the weekend, they are apparently not as high quality as you would think.”
In the video, Huston highlighted the medal’s diminished shine and noticeable chips on its surface. “It’s looking rough. Even the front is starting to chip off a little,” he commented. “Olympic medals, you gotta maybe step up the quality a little bit.”
Huston’s criticism comes after his third-place finish in the men’s street event at the Paris Games. He is not alone in his dissatisfaction; British diver Yasmin Harper, who won bronze in the women’s 3-meter synchronized springboard diving event, also reported discoloration on her medal. “There’s been some small bits of tarnishing,” Harper told the BBC, attributing the issue to potential exposure to water or other elements.
In response to these concerns, the Paris Mint has promised to “systematically replace” any Olympic medal that shows signs of deterioration. The organizing committee has stated that any damaged medals will be reviewed and re-engraved if necessary. They have also acknowledged the feedback from athletes on social media regarding the condition of their medals.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has assured that they are collaborating closely with the Paris Mint and the affected athletes’ National Olympic Committees to investigate the damage and its causes. A spokesperson for the 2024 Paris Games emphasized the importance of the medals to the athletes, promising that damaged medals will be replaced and engraved to match the original design.
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