The Indian athletes who emerged as heroes during the Paris 2024 are likely to get their bronze medals replaced by identical models. Several athletes have complaints about their medals showing signs of rust and deterioration, and they want them to get them replaced.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said the Monnaie de Paris (the French state mint) will systematically replace damaged medals and engrave them identically to the originals.
“The Paris 2024 Olympic Games Organising Committee is working closely with the Monnaie de Paris (the French state mint), the institution responsible for the manufacture and quality control of the medals, to assess any complaints about the medals and to understand the circumstances and cause of any damage. Defective medals will be systematically replaced by the Monnaie de Paris and engraved identically. The replacement process should begin in the coming weeks,” the IOC stated.
Manu Bhaker, who won two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics, has already stated that she would want her medals replaced by identical models, as she is among a large group of athletes. Young Indian wrestler Aman Sehrawat secured bronze on his Olympic debut in the men’s 57 kg freestyle wrestling category. Aman’s bronze medal has shown signs of fading, though the wrestler has yet to file a formal complaint.
The other Indian medal winners from the Paris Olympics, Swapnil Kusale and Sarabjot Singh, have complained that the colour of their medals had started to come off within days of the ceremony.
“The colour of the bronze medal came off within seven days of winning the medal. When I reached India, friends, coaches and fellow shooters also pointed that out. An Olympic medal is a cherished possession for a shooter and the removal of coating was visible. All who saw the medal noticed that,” Kusale told Indian Express.
Meanwhile, Sarabjot, who won the bronze medal with Manu Bhaker in the mixed-team event, also had complaint of discolouring which he thinks should not happen.
“I too had noticed the discolouring of the medal a few days after the ceremony and my team contacted the concerned authorities for the issue to be highlighted. Olympic medals inspire youth as well as current shooters to achieve Olympic glory and its deterioration should not happen,” Sarabjot said.
According to French online media outlet La Lettre, “more than 100 defective medals have been returned by disgruntled athletes”, who have seen their awards deteriorate. The medals “had to bear the brunt of the new products used”, as new regulations banned a component of the varnish previously employed and “had to be replaced at short notice”.
The 5,084 gold, silver and bronze medals for Paris 2024 were designed by luxury jewellery and watch firm Chaumet (part of the LVMH conglomerate) and produced by the Monnaie de Paris.
