The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics have been a whirlwind of drama, as online discussions reveal. From complaints about overheated rooms and inadequate air conditioning to athletes falling ill after swimming in the Seine, the controversies have been numerous.
Now, dissatisfaction extends to the medals themselves. Many athletes have voiced their disappointment over the medals' quality, noting their faded and unimpressive appearance compared to the high standards set by the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Viktor Axelsen Shows Off His Medals But Many Had Compared The Two
Recently, Denmark’s world #2 badminton player Viktor Axelsen took to Instagram to proudly display his two Olympic gold medals: one from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the other from the 2024 Paris Olympics. While showcasing such achievements is undoubtedly a proud moment, many netizens seized the opportunity to compare the medals, given Axelsen’s simple caption of “Tokyo 🥇 vs. Paris 🥇”. In addition to these golds, don’t forget that Axelsen also earned a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
When placed side by side and turned in the light, the contrast between the medals was striking. The Tokyo gold medal still gleamed brightly under the sun, while the Paris gold medal appeared dull and faded. This visible disparity has only intensified the ongoing debate about the quality of the Paris 2024 medals.
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Here’s some of the comments:
The Medals For Paris 2024 Were “Not Worth Much” Especially The Bronze
Forbes Australia revealed that the medals for Paris 2024 were relatively low in value, with the gold medal estimated at around US$950 (~RM4,209). This has set a new benchmark in Olympic history.
Compared to the London 2012 gold medals, which were valued at US$708 (~RM3,137) and previously held the record, the Paris 2024 gold medals are more expensive due to the rising price of gold. However, the actual composition of these medals might be surprising. Despite their gold appearance, they are made up of 95.4 percent silver and weigh 505 grams, with only a thin layer of gold coating. Additionally, each medal contains a piece of metal from the Eiffel Tower.
Interestingly, the silver medals actually weigh more at 525 grams and are valued at US$486 (RM2,175), while the bronze medals, composed of copper, zinc, and iron, are worth just US$13 (RM57.60).
The controversy over medal pricing began when American skateboarder Nyjah Huston criticized the quality of his Paris 2024 bronze medal.
Huston, a 15-time X Games gold medalist, claimed his first Olympic medal at the Paris Games. However, his excitement was dampened when he discovered signs of wear on the medal soon after receiving it.
“They look great when they’re brand new, but after letting it sit on my skin with some sweat for lil’ bit and letting my friends wear it over the weekend, they’re apparently not as high quality as you would think,” he said.
A spokesperson for Paris 2024 has stated that athletes with damaged medals will be provided with replacements. They are aware of recent reports indicating that some medals have shown signs of wear shortly after being awarded. Paris 2024 is collaborating closely with Monnaie de Paris, the organization responsible for medal production and quality control, as well as with the National Olympic Committees of the affected athletes, to assess the situation and determine the cause of the damage.
For now, our national shuttlers Lee Zii Jia, Aaron Chia, and Soh Wooi Yik, who also won bronze, haven't reported any problems with their medals. We'll just have to wait and see if any issues come up down the line.
On a side note, which medals do you think is better? Let us know in the comments.
*Sources: Visual and Reference Credits to Social Media & various cross-references for context.
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