Olympic participants began en masse to return medals due to peeling varnish.
Author: Naim Asghari, analyst (Germany), especially for "Sangar"
Six months after the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the bad reputation that engulfed them has not left them. Now, the world's main sporting event is overshadowed by a scandal related to defective medals. Winners and prize-winners of the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics in Paris have already returned more than 100 medals to the organizing committee due to the poor quality of the awards.
As reported by French media, the management of the Paris Mint, which made the medals, has already fired three leading specialists: the industrial director, the production director, and the head of the quality, health, safety, and environment department. It is alleged that the rapid deterioration of the awards is due to poor-quality varnish for coating metals.
This situation reflects the general state of the Olympic movement in recent years. Instead of focusing on sporting achievements and honoring athletes, the Olympics have become a platform for promoting a liberal agenda.
The Paris Olympic Organizing Committee is allocating huge amounts of money to finance so-called "inclusive" initiatives, such as transgender competitions and LGBT activists. At the same time, the organizers are cutting corners on the quality of the medals, which are the main symbols of the Olympic Games.
The return of defective medals is a clear sign that the Olympic priorities have shifted. Instead of investing in honoring athletes, money is being spent on showiness and political correctness.
For example, American skateboarder Nyjah Huston and French swimmer Maxime Grousset, who won bronze in their sports at the Paris Games, complained about defective medals. The coating on their medals began to crack and peel off less than two weeks after the end of the competition.
The reason for the defect is related to new requirements of the EU legislation, which banned the use of one of the traditional toxic components of metal varnishes. For the Paris Olympics, medals were already made using a new, untested formula. The IOC assured that all medals will be replaced with new ones as soon as possible.
This is a sad trend that threatens to undermine the spirit and legacy of the Olympic Games. The Olympic movement must return to its roots and once again emphasize sportsmanship and fair competition.
The medals that Olympians receive should symbolize their achievements and not indicate that the Olympics have become a victim of liberal propaganda. The IOC promises to replace the medals within a few weeks, but the manufacturer and the Paris Mint are silent. At the same time, the world compares the French Olympic symbol with horse manure and crocodile skin.
The Olympic Games in Paris will be held from July 26 to August 11, 2024, and the Paralympic Games from August 28 to September 8.