More than 100 Olympic athletes have returned their medals from the Paris 2024 Games, just five months after the event, due to quality issues. The medals, produced by the Paris Mint (Monnaie de Paris), have been reported to rust and deteriorate quickly. The problem is believed to stem from the use of low-quality varnish, which has caused the medals to damage rapidly.

Among those affected are American skateboarder Nyjah Houston and French swimmer Maxime Grusset, both bronze medalists, who shared their frustrations online. Their medals cracked and peeled off within just two weeks of the competition. Other French athletes, like Clement Secchi and Yohann Ndoye-Brouard, also posted about the poor quality of their bronze medals from the 4×100-meter medley relay.

Houston shared an image of his medal, showing clear signs of damage just 10 days after the event. He commented, “The medals look great when they’re new, but after some sweat and wear, they start to chip off. Even the front is looking rough.” This has raised concerns about the overall quality of Olympic medals and led to the dismissal of three senior officials at the Paris Mint.

The Paris 2024 Games took place from July 26 to August 11, and the Paralympic Games were held from August 28 to September 8. These medal issues have sparked an ongoing debate about the quality control in the production of Olympic awards.