US EditionOlympic Medals Fall Apart at Milan Cortina Games
Medals made by the Italian Mint using recycled metal have ribbon connectors that are breaking during celebrations, affecting multiple athletes including Team USA's Breezy Johnson and Alysa Liu.
- On Feb. 8, 2026, Olympic medals detached from ribbons at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, with Breezy Johnson, Team USA alpine skier and gold medallist, showing hers without its ribbon.
- The Italian Mint produced 700 medals, and `so, there's the medal, and there's the ribbon. And here's the little piece that's supposed to go in ribbon to hold it in the medal, and it came apart,` said Johnson.
- Alysa Liu said, `I was jumping up and down, and it just dropped from the ribbon. But I got it replaced this morning for this media day. I have to wear it!` and warned fellow medalists not to jump after her medal snapped.
- Organisers responded that Andrea Francisi, Milano Cortina 2026 Chief Games Operations Officer, said, `We are aware of the situation. Obviously, we are trying to understand in detail if there is a problem` and may need contingency plans.
- Similar durability issues arose in 2024 when more than 100 medalists contacted Monnaie de Paris about deteriorating medals, prompting assessments by organisers and the French mint.
38 Articles
38 Articles
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By JAMES ELLINGWORTH MILAN (AP) — Handle them with care. That was the message from gold medalist Breezy Johnson at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics after she and other athletes discovered their medals had broken within hours. Olympic organizers are investigating with “utmost care” after a number of medals came loose from their ribbons during the Games’ opening weekend celebrations. “Don’t jump around with them. I was jumping for joy and it brok…
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