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Olympic and Paralympic medalists raise concerns about the rapid deterioration of their recently awarded medals, sparking widespread athlete frustration.
Olympic gold medalist Tara Davis-Woodhall has sparked a storm of controversy after revealing that her prized gold medal is peeling, joining the growing concerns of fellow athletes, including Paralympic bronze medalist Allison E. Lang.
What should be an enduring symbol of their achievements is, instead, tarnishing—both literally and symbolically—just weeks after the medals were awarded.
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Davis-Woodhall’s revelation came after Lang, who secured bronze in the recent Paris Paralympic Games, expressed her frustration on Threads.
Lang shared a photo of her rapidly deteriorating medal, showing visible signs of oxidation and peeling.
“I’m kind of disappointed. My Bronze Medal from Paris is already oxidizing and looks like it’s peeling/rusting like what’s going on @paralympics? I’ve only had it for less than a month!!” Lang posted.
Initially, some social media users dismissed Lang’s concerns, with one commenter stating, “Gold does not tarnish by the way,” but Davis-Woodhall quickly came to her defense with a stunning admission: “Actually… it does 🙂 my gold medal is peeling.”
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The long jump athlete’s candid response added fuel to the fire, shifting the spotlight from a single case to a potential widespread issue.
The idea that gold and bronze medals—symbols of lifelong dedication and effort—could deteriorate so quickly has shocked athletes and fans alike.
In the wake of the revelations, several athletes have started to inspect their own medals. Some, like Lang and Davis-Woodhall, are reporting similar problems, while others have claimed their medals remain in pristine condition.
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This inconsistency has only deepened the mystery, raising questions about the materials and manufacturing processes behind these prestigious awards.
Tessa Axsom, the director of CNC at Fictive, a San Francisco-based company that specializes in custom mechanical parts, has weighed in on the issue.
According to Axsom, the problem may lie in the materials used in the medals, particularly copper oxidation.
“This year’s bronze medal is actually 97% copper, 2.5% zinc, and a half a percent tin,” Axsom explained as reported by The Sport Rush.
“Copper oxidation is natural, and it reaches stability when it forms oxides and salts. So, when you have sweaty athletes wearing these medals, getting salt on them, you’re going to get oxidation. The metal should have been protectively coated.”
Despite some media reports attributing the issue to the use of recycled metals—a sustainable practice championed by the Olympic and Paralympic committees—Axsom was quick to refute those claims.
She emphasized that using recycled metals is not the cause of the peeling and rusting. Rather, it is the lack of a proper protective coating that has left these medals vulnerable to the elements and wear.
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As of now, neither the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) nor the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has issued an official statement addressing the situation.
However, whispers of cost-cutting measures have begun circulating, with speculation that the medals may have been produced under tighter budget constraints, potentially leading to the quality issues now being reported.
For athletes like Lang and Davis-Woodhall, the peeling medals are more than just a cosmetic problem. They represent the culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and perseverance.
Seeing their hard-earned medals deteriorate so quickly has left them and their fans questioning the lasting value of these symbols.
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