SCOTS Olympic cycling champion Callum Skinner has shared a picture of his chipped Rio medal – days after games officials admitted many need replacing.
The games’ communications officer Mario Andrada admitted last week that there was a problem with the covering on 6 to 7% of medals from Rio 2016.
And Skinner, 24, who won gold in the team sprint and silver in the individual sprint, shared a photo of what appears to be his silver medal – with bits of the covering flaking off.
Parts of the colouring of the medal have been scraped off to reveal blackness underneath.
Two Paralympic gold medallists also joined the debate, telling Skinner their own medals looked the same.
Skinner posted the image of his medal with the caption: “Thought it was my fault to be honest. Ouch.”
He added a link to an article about many Olympians needing their prize replacing.
Fellow cyclist and double paralympic gold medallist Stephen Bate replied: “Mines the same. Still rattles though.”
To which Skinner said: “That rattle is actually internal splintering. I’d ask for a new one.”
Adam Duggleby, another Paralympic gold medallist cyclist, added: “Mine are like that too. Totally battered. All colour just coming off!”
Other social media users chimed in to ridicule the state of Skinner’s medal.
Iwan Evans said: “Blimey, looks like it’s been through the washing machine on a fast spin.”
Whilst Alistair Rutherford joked: “Made from chocolate.”
Speaking to French news agency AFP last week, olympic communications officer Mario Andrada said: “We’re seeing problems with the covering on between 6% and 7% of the medals.
“It seems to be to do with the difference in temperatures.”
The problem mainly seems to have occured with silver medals, which are made from 30% recycled materials.
The lead-up to the Rio 2016 Games was marred by several controversies.
Many lobbyists claimed public money had been wasted on the games – with the final operating budget coming to $4.6bn.
There were also several infrastructure problems.
On 21 April 2016—the day that the Olympic torch was lit—a 50 metres section of a bike path which was supposed to be a part of the legacy of the games, was hit by a giant wave and collapsed.
Two pedestrians fell into the ocean to their deaths.
The Olympic village was also judged to be “unlivable” by some officials.
