The Olympics are often a widely discussed and celebrated topic. However, the 2024 Paris Olympics were incredibly controversial and many people had divided opinions. Furthermore, another topic of conversation has come to light, the Olympic medals, as several champions returned the awards.
Several Olympic medals for 2024 have been returned after many athletes noted their questionable quality. Interestingly, these medals haven’t held up as well as their former counterparts such as the awards from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, which was postponed from 2020, and London in 2012 or Rio in 2016.
The Olympic Medals Unique Design

The Olympic medals were designed by LVMH and have a piece of iron from the Eiffel Tower in the back. Meanwhile, the front depicts the Greek goddess of victory from the 1896 Olympics.
Although the 2024 Olympic medals had a unique design, paying beautiful tribute to Paris, the Olympic medals weren’t made as well. As a result, several U.S. athletes have taken to social media to further explain the reason for many to return their Olympic medals.
For example, Nyjah Huston wrote on Instagram “After letting it sit on my skin with some sweat for a little bit and letting my friends wear it over the weekend, they’re apparently not as high quality as you’d think. Even the front, it’s starting to chip off a little.” Moreover, he’s one of at least 100 athletes who’ve returned their Olympic medals due to their poor condition.
Reports of a New Material Combination

In contrast, and on a bright side, the Olympic medals will be replaced by higher quality awards. Meanwhile, the reason for the change in design to the Olympic medals is purportedly inspired by desire to create a less toxic product. “It seems as though the culprit for the degraded appearance of the medal is the switch to a new varnish. After the old one was found to contain the carcinogen chromium trioxide,” as reported by LadBible for La Lettre.
Commenting on the Mistake

“The Paris 2024 Olympic Games Organizing Committee is working closely with Monnaie de Paris, the institution responsible for the manufacture and quality control of medals, to assess medal claims and understand the circumstances and cause of damage,” a spokesperson explained. “Monnaie de Paris has taken the issue of damaged medals very seriously since the first exchange requests in August, mobilizing its internal teams. Monnaie de Paris modified the varnish and optimized its manufacturing process to make it more resistant to certain uses of the medals by athletes.”
Returned or Revoked Medals

In the past, athletes have returned Olympic medals or had them revoked for various reasons from rules violations to political or ethical disagreements. For example, Jim Thorpe lost his Olympic medal because he’d previously played semi-professional baseball, which was illegal in the games at the time.
Meanwhile, in 1988, Calvin Smith came in 4th place in Seoul, Korea. However, he was later awarded an Olympic medal as all 3 of the winners were involved in separate substance scandals. Each eliminated them from eligibility. Later, Adam Nelson was robbed of the same winnings. However, almost 8 years later he would get his reward. Several years after the events, it came to light that the champions of the 2004 Athens Olympics had also been using substances at the time of their victories. Furthermore, athletes like Marion Jones and Lance Armstrong have had their Olympic medals revoked for similar, substance related issues, according to NBC.
Green Initiatives

Although substance issues are seemingly the most common reason for the loss of Olympic medals, there’s a reason that the 2024 Olympic medals were made with materials that are seemingly less toxic but also lower quality. The reason for this change comes from France’s involvement in green initiatives and efforts to create a healthier world. As part of its commitment to sustainability, France has been actively working to reduce the environmental impact of large-scale events, and the Olympic Games presented a unique opportunity to showcase these efforts. By incorporating recycled materials, such as pieces of the Eiffel Tower, and eliminating harmful substances traditionally used in medal manufacturing, organizers aimed to create a more eco-friendly legacy while still maintaining the prestige of the awards. However, this shift also raised concerns about durability and longevity, as many athletes reported issues with their medals degrading faster than expected.
Designing the Olympic Medal

There were 2 important aspects of the Olympic medals, explains GreenMatters. The sentiment behind using recycled pieces of the Eiffel Tower is both sustainable and holds a powerful meaning to those who had the opportunity to be part of something that’s celebrated globally. The organizers announced the design for the Olympic medals on February 8, 2024, and shared how the design would symbolize an iconic moment for Paris, and for the world. “It’s the opportunity for the athletes to bring back a piece of Paris with them. The absolute symbol of Paris and France is the Eiffel Tower,” said Thierry Reboul, the creative director for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Read More: 15 Of The Most Viral and Touching Moments From The Paris Olympics
The Eiffel Tower’s Influence
The Eiffel Tower is arguably one of the most influential and well-known architectural designs in the world. However, according to sources the designer hadn’t intended it to stand for as long as it has. Rather, Gustave Eiffel intended the structure to last around only 20 years. Subsequently, it became so widely popular that it has been maintained and repaired numerous times since the 1,000 plus foot structure was constructed.
Hidden Location for Scraps
All the scrap pieces from the Eiffel Tower are taken to a secret location and are stored until they’re designated for something more meaningful. In this case, the recycled materials have been designated for use in the 2024 Olympic medals. However, it didn’t take long for them to tarnish and coordinators have assured the public and athletes that they’ll be issued newer and higher quality Olympic medals within the start of 2025.
“There was a huge amount done to try to bring together these precious metals — gold, silver and bronze — with the most precious metal in the Eiffel Tower, the jewel in the French crown. So what’s specific about the 2024 medals is that meshing together, that fusion, that alloy…” added the Jewelry designer.
New Medals Will Be Issued

Meanwhile, reports explain that the most likely reason for the Olympic medals to be in such questionable condition comes from a new recipe, an attempt to do away some harsh and toxic chemicals used to make Olympic medals in the previous years. Sadly, eco-friendly options aren’t always as effective and sometimes they require some tweaking before they’re as effective as their more toxic counterparts. Either way, the 2024 Paris athletes will be issued new Olympic medals.