Deteriorated, discolored and now unwatchable: what a bad end happened to the medals of the Paris 2024 Olympics: the case is viral
Several athletes who reached the podium Paris 2024 Olympics they are reporting problems with theirs medals that are showing signs of premature deterioration. The complaints, shared on social media, mainly concerned the bronze medalswhich have darkened or shown signs of peeling.
La Monnaie de Paris, the institution responsible for producing the medals, has confirmed that some of these they will be replacedalthough he did not specify the exact number. According to some sources, there could be more than 100. The problem seems to be related to defects in the painting processaffected by restrictions on the use of chromium trioxide, a toxic but effective component, banned in the European Union since 2019.
This led to difficulty in protecting medals from oxidation. Bronze medals, composed of an alloy of copper, zinc and tin, are particularly susceptible to oxidation, especially if exposed to humidity or sweat, typical elements of sporting competitions.
The central iron hexagon from the Eiffel Tower
Athletes from different disciplines have expressed their frustration over the deterioration of medals. These included the American skateboarder Nyjah Huston and the British diver Yasmin Harper, who noticed an obvious change in color and surface of their medals after a few days. Some Italian athletes, such as swimmer Ginevra Taddeucci and fencer Gigi Samele, have also encountered similar problems.
La Monnaie de Paris ensured that all requests for replacement they will be accepted by the first months of 2025. In the meantime he has been working to improve the painting process to avoid similar problems in the future. The factory had already faced difficulties during the production of the medals, with workers calling for strikes better salary conditionsdue to the technical complexity required to make medals of such quality.
The Paris Olympic medals, designed by Parisian jewelry maker Chaumet, feature a unique design with a central iron hexagon from the Eiffel Tower and rays extending outward. Despite the problems encountered, the French Mint remains confident that the replacement medals will satisfy the athletes.
