IOC to Replace Manu Bhaker's Deteriorating Bronze Medals

Indian sports history maker Manu Bhaker has discovered an unexpected setback to her Olympic victory. Her hard-earned Paris Olympics Bronze medals are showing signs of destruction. The 22-year-old shooter made history by becoming the first Indian to win two medals in a single Olympics, post-independence athletes from all over the world are reporting quality issues with their metals. 

The Issue 

The medals, which uniquely feature actual pieces of the Eiffel Tower, contain 18-gram iron fragments embedded in their centers. These medals, designed by luxury firm Chaumet and produced by Monnaie de Paris (the French state mint), have reportedly shown premature wear and color loss. Bhaker's medals have been in this deteriorated state for some time now.

IOC's Response

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has taken action to address this concern while working closely with the Paris Olympics organizing committee and Monnaie de Paris. They have announced a replacement for the deteriorated medals. Athletes affected by this issue will receive same replacements, complete with the same engraving as their original medals. 

Bhaker's Historic Achievement 

The medal quality issue takes nothing away from Bhaker’s remarkable achievement at Paris Olympics. She created history by becoming India’s first female shooter to win an Olympic medal in the 10 m air pistol individual event and securing a second bronze in the 10 m air pistol, mixed team event with Sarbjot Singh, she made history by becoming India’s first post-independence athlete to win two medals in a single Olympic event. 

The situation affects all the three categories of medals- gold, silver and bronze from the total of 5084 medals produced for the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics. The French state mint's commitment to replacing the damaged metals demonstrate their dedication to preserving the integrity of these historic symbols of athletic achievement.

For Bhaker and other affected athletes, the physical medals may need replacement, but their achievements and the moment they represent remain untarnished.