A number of Olympic medalists at the Milan Games have reported that their medals broke after being presented. Organizers of the 2026 Olympics said they are paying “maximum attention” to the issue.
On the first day of competition at the 2026 Olympics, skier Ebba Andersson reported that her silver medal, which she received for finishing second in the skiathlon, had broken. The medal broke off while the athlete was running: part of it fell into the snow, after which the Swede could not find her medal.
As it later became known, not only Andersson's medal was broken, but also that of other medalists at the 2026 Olympics. Alpine skier Breeze Johnson showed off a damaged medal; German biathlete Justus Strelow and figure skating team champion Alice Liu also cracked it.
Alpine skier Breezy Johnson holds her broken gold medal at a press conference. Getty Images/Andrew Milligan
“Here's the medal, and here's the ribbon for it,” Johnson said. “And here's the little piece that was supposed to attach the medal to the ribbon. Yes, it broke off.”
Alice Liu holds a broken medal after winning the 2026 Olympics. Alice Liu's Instagram
“My medal doesn't need a ribbon,” the figure skater captioned the video.
How did the Olympic organizers respond to the situation with broken medals?
Director of the Milan 2026 Games, Andrea Franchisi, stressed that the organizers have already launched an investigation into this situation, trying to clarify its nature.
“We are fully aware of the situation. We are looking at what the problem is. We are going to pay maximum attention to the medals. Obviously, we want everything to be perfect when they award the medal [to the athletes], because it is one of the most important moments for them,” Franchise was quoted as saying by Reuters.
At the same time, Franchisi has not yet confirmed whether the athletes will receive new medals to replace the damaged ones and when this will happen.
This is not the first time that defective awards have occurred. In February 2025, 220 requests were made to replace 2024 Olympic medals — approximately 4% of all those awarded to athletes.