Ilona Maher criticizes quality of her Paris Olympic bronze medal, revealing that it started to wear down just a few weeks.
Ilona Maher, a prominent Olympic athlete, has recently raised concerns about the quality of bronze medals given out at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
According to Maher, the medals are already showing signs of wear and tear, just a few weeks after the games.
This statement has sparked a heated conversation about the quality and durability of Olympic awards.
Ilona Maher slams the quality of Paris Olympic bronze medal as it “wearing a little bit” just few weeks
Maher, a United States rugby standout, appeared on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” recently.
She shared that her bronze medal had started to show signs of wear and tear. This occurred shortly after she clinched the victory.
The 28-year-old athlete shared that she had even worn the medal, which she affectionately described as a “solid hunk of metal,” around her neck.
Maher further mentioned that the bronze piece showed some signs of deterioration, despite its initial allure.
“It is gorgeous, it is wearing a little bit,” she said.
This revelation by Maher adds to a series of similar complaints by other Olympic medalists regarding the quality of their bronze medals.
Other athletes also expressed disappointment with the quality of Paris Olympic medals
Nyjah Huston, a U.S. skateboarder, also expressed disappointment with the state of his bronze medal shortly after winning it in Paris.
“Alright, so these Olympic medals look great when they’re brand new,” he said.
“But 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. It’s looking rough.”
“I don’t know, Olympic medals, we gotta step up the quality a little bit,” he added.
Additionally, British synchronized diver Yasmin Harper shared similar concerns about her bronze medal.
She disclosed that it had started to show signs of tarnishing and discoloration during the games.
She attributed this deterioration to exposure to water and other environmental factors, indicating a widespread issue with the quality of Olympic medals at the 2024 Games.
IOC response to athletes’ complaints
The International Olympic Committee responded to these concerns by reassuring athletes that damaged medals would be promptly replaced.
They confirmed that the Paris Mint, the official producer of the Olympic medals, would handle the replacements.
The IOC highlighted the importance of these medals as cherished symbols of athletes’ achievements.
They pledged to ensure that all replacements would be engraved identically to preserve their integrity.
“The medals are the most coveted objects of the Games and the most precious for the athletes,” the IOC said.
“Damaged medals will be systematically replaced by the Paris Mint and engraved identically.”