Winter Olympics Bosses Vow to Fix Medals After Identifying Embarrassing Problem

[riversedge]

Source: daily beast


Will Neal Published 02.10.26 9:38AM EST



Milano Cortina Winter Olympics organizers say they’ve resolved a defect that’s causing medals to become damaged shortly after being awarded. It comes amid a wave of backlash and ridicule over trophies cracking and splitting in two during athletes’ celebrations. An investigation concluded on Monday that the fault lay with the ribbon cord, which includes a legally required breakaway safety feature intended to prevent choking if the medal is pulled. Officials confirmed they will also restore any medals presented during the first three days of events. The issue first popped up over the weekend after American downhill skiing champion Breezy Johnson reported her gold medal had detached as she celebrated. Similar incidents were later described by Sweden’s Ebba Andersson, who said her medal “fell in the snow and broke in two,” while U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu posted online that her team gold ribbon came loose. Organizers did not provide a total number of affected medals but said all awards are now being inspected as a precaution. “Following reports of issues affecting a small number of medals, the organizing committee immediately reviewed the matter,” spokesman Luca Cassasa said, adding that “a targeted fix has been put in place.”

Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/winter-olympics-bosses-vow-to-fix-medals-after-identifying-embarrassing-problem/

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Winter Olympics Bosses Vow to Fix Medals After Identifying Embarrassing Problem

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— (@oceancalm.bsky.social) 2026-02-10T15:15:12.764Z

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, ITALY - FEBRUARY 08: A close-up view of a gold medal held by Breezy Johnson of Team United States during the medal ceremony during the Women's Downhill on day two of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre on February 08, 2026 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. (Photo by Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images)
Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images

[ruet]

1. "which includes a legally required breakaway safety feature intended to prevent choking if the medal is pulled"

What statistics did the lawmakers who mandated this feature use to ascertain said features necessity? Was there a rash of people being choked by medals that I don't recall or didn't hear of?

[Martin68]

3. Could be an EU regulation. There are a lot of them.

[Ol Janx Spirit]

5. I believe this is part of an EU law that is aimed at preventing children from be strangled...

...by a whole host of products like window-blind cords, etc.

Medals are commonly given out to kids as part of sporting events, and so I am guessing this law just sees an Olympic medal as any other.

Preventing childhood strangulation is actually a good thing--it's just hard to anticipate what impact that effort will have on everything down the line.

[Blues Heron]

6. In case trump gets close enough to grab one, at least the person won't die

[Bengus81]

7. You didn't see the documentary of the Top Ten Olympians choked to death by their own medals?

[obamanut2012]

8. Most lanyards have this safety feature

I wear them at work, and they are so you can't be choked. A medal ribbon is basically a lanyard.

[Whyisthisstillclose]

2. Wow! Thank God I didn't win one of those!

[tonekat]

4. Likely someone at the IOC is skimming

Probably stealing funding meant for the medal manufacture.

[niyad]

9. must be one of orange's friends!

[Wonder Why]

10. Superglue, thy time hath come to be an Olympic hero.