On January 13th, Beijing time, according to French media reports, about 100 medals from the Paris Olympics were returned by athletes due to rapid oxidation of their appearance.
It is truly speechless that such prestigious Olympic medals have experienced severe quality issues, which has undoubtedly dampened the spirits of the medal recipients. The French media revealed that at least 15 months ago, even before the start of the Paris Olympics, the medals had been plagued with defective varnish problems that remained unresolved.
Last August 8th, American skateboarder Nyjah Huston openly complained that within just ten days of receiving his Olympic bronze medal, its condition deteriorated to the point of being unrecognizable, with a dull surface and noticeable rust and black spots.
In December last year, two French swimmers showcased their Olympic bronze medals on social media. Despite the Olympics having ended only a few months prior, these medals were already in a state of disrepair. Brouard wrote, "Paris 1924," suggesting that the medal looked like it was from a century ago. His teammate Seki described his bronze medal as looking like "crocodile skin."
Currently, approximately 100 Paris Olympic medals have been returned by athletes due to rapid oxidation. Although the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has assured that the medals will be replaced, this situation is indeed embarrassing. In contrast, the "Gold-inlaid Jade" medals from the Beijing Olympics are still well-preserved, indestructible by fire or impact, and their value continues to rise when compared to others.