Although the event has concluded, the quality issue of the medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics remains a point of criticism. According to a report, approximately 100 Paris Olympic medals have been returned by athletes due to rapid deterioration in their appearance.
As early as Aug. 9 last year, a few days after the French team won the bronze medal in the Mixed 4×100 meter medley relay, a French athlete posted on social media that the medal showed signs of oxidation. Other French swimmers also shared photos of their bronze medals, joking about the serious oxidation problem. The International Olympic Committee had previously stated they would replace the affected medals.
Reportedly, the medals for this edition of the Paris Olympics were designed by the luxury jewelry brand Chaumet, a subsidiary of the French luxury goods giant LVMH, and manufactured by the Monnaie de Paris. Apart from the silver medals, the other medals were adorned with gold plating.
Analysis indicates that the composition of the medals varies across different editions of the Olympics. The gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics are primarily made of silver, with a layer of gold plating on top. Bronze medals are typically composed of a mixture of copper, zinc, and tin, known as bronze. If bronze is not protected, it can react with oxygen in the air, forming a dull copper oxide. The bronze's degradation rate depends on the alloy's proportions, with cheaper metals often accelerating this process.
It is worth noting that quality issues with medals also surfaced at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, where over 130 medals were returned to the organizers due to rust or black spots appearing on them.
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