Natalya Diehm: ‘The Deterioration of My Paris Bronze Medal Was the Worst I’ve Ever Experienced’

Natalya Diehm from Australia has revealed that the bronze medal she earned in BMX freestyle at the Paris Olympics began to deteriorate within hours of her receiving it.

There have been numerous complaints directed at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarding the poor quality of medals awarded at the Paris Games. Over 100 athletes have reported that their prized medals are coming apart.

This group, which includes six Australian medalists, has expressed their frustration since the Games concluded in August. Many of them took to social media to voice their concerns and reached out to officials about the issues they faced.

In an interview with Fox FM in Melbourne, Diehm shared her experience, noting that she first observed the medal’s condition upon her return to the athlete’s village.

“Mine started showing issues right from day one. I received the medal, went through the medal ceremony, and did all the media rounds,” she stated.

“I returned to the Village around midnight, looked down, and thought, ‘Oh no, I’ve already scratched it!’

“I wet my finger, gave it a little rub, and instantly the clear coating came off.”

The medals were crafted by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, owned by France’s wealthiest family. Diehm noted that the condition of the medal worsened even further after the Games concluded.

“Honestly, they’re the most disappointing bronze medals I’ve come across, globally. Within a fortnight, it was looking dreadful.

“When I initially raised this with the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), they mentioned they would liaise with the IOC to resolve the issue.

“However, they indicated that this isn’t the first instance; similar problems occurred at the 2016 Rio Olympics as well. We hope to find a solution. The bronze medals appear to have the most significant issues.”

A recent investigation by the New York Times highlighted these medal-related problems, prompting an apology from Olympic officials.

“Medals that are damaged will be replaced systematically by Monnaie de Paris [the French mint] and will be engraved just like the originals,” said an IOC statement.

Reports indicate that the troublesome medals are not the gold ones, with issues primarily affecting silver and bronze medals.

The New York Times reports that Monnaie de Paris, which manufactured the medals, blamed the problem “on a technical issue related to varnish”.

“The mint found that the varnish used to prevent oxidation was flawed,” the publication noted.

“While the varnish recipe is a trade secret, it was weakened after the mint modified it to comply with new European Union regulations banning the use of chromium trioxide, a hazardous chemical used to prevent rusting, according to La Lettre, a French industry newspaper.”