This year’s Olympics were not even out of the news yet when its medals started deteriorating. Two Chinese athletes have complained against their medals’ quality already declining and it begs the question: how much gold are the gold medals made of? Read the latest about it here:
The Athletes Facing The Issue
A Chinese athlete by the name of Zhu Xueying has complained about her medal. She won gold in the women’s trampolining during the games and she shared her medal’s declining quality on social media. Xueying complained that the medal is losing its shine and beginning to disintegrate. She shared an image on the Chinese social-media platform Weibo of the medal. It clearly showed that the material was “peeling” off.
Another Chinese athlete named Wang Shun is facing the same issue. He also reported that his medal was beginning to peel. The swimmer bagged gold in the 200-meter individual medley in this year’s Olympics. He added, he “dare not to pick at it anymore.”
How Did It Start Peeling Off?
Xueying was asked by many if her medal randomly started peeling off. To clarify that she said, “I didn’t mean to peel the thing off at first, I just discovered that there was a small mark on my medal.” She thought it to be a dirt mark and so she rubbed it with her finger. However, she “found that nothing changed.” Then Xueying “picked at it and the mark got bigger,” she told the Global Times.
What Were The Medals Made Of?
You won’t believe what the medals were made up of in a quest to be more sustainable and protect the planet. The medals awarded at this year’s games were made from recycled goods. Think electronic devices including cellphones! So yes, athletes are pretty much walking around with cellphones around their neck. Could this be the reason they’re peeling off?
The growing noise surrounding this issue also prompted the Olympics’ admin to say something. In response, the International Olympic Committee said that only the “protective film” is indeed coming off. They also added that this peeling does not affect the quality of the medal itself. “Even if you remove the coating, it does not directly affect the medals’ quality,” said the organizing committee. Quality aside, it is unfair for athletes to get a medal which can start looking patchy in days. What do you think?
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