The medal makers at the 2026 Winter Olympics may need to step up their game.
Just after Team USA figure skater Alysa Liu earned a gold medal in the team event on February 8th, she discovered it had broken off its ribbon, joining a growing number of athletes who’ve experienced unexpected medal mishaps.
She explained that she was celebrating and jumping around when the medal simply fell off its ribbon. It was damaged in the fall, getting scratched and dented.
Even though the medal wasn’t perfect, Alysa was proud to have earned it—but what happened next was an even bigger surprise.
The 20-year-old admitted they initially preferred the item as it was, before it was put back in its original condition. However, they understood they had to comply and hand it in. They jokingly asked if the single item could be an exception, explaining they’d become fond of it, but then quickly added they were now okay with letting it go, and were back to being indifferent about it.
Alysa isn’t the only athlete this has happened to. Olympic skier Breezy Johnson also had a problem with her medal coming apart after winning the women’s downhill race on February 8th.
“I accidentally broke my medal while jumping for joy,” Breezy explained to reporters after the ceremony, showing the damaged award on camera. “As you can see, the medal itself is broken, the ribbon came loose, and this small piece that connects them has come off. It just fell apart.”
Oh my gosh, you won’t BELIEVE this! She actually joked about her medal being a little broken after winning – the FIRST medal for Team USA at the Milan Cortina Games! Can you imagine? Thirty years old and still absolutely crushing it, and she’s just so chill about the fact that it needs a little fixing. She said someone will definitely fix it, and it’s not too bad, just a little broken. I’m seriously obsessed with her!
The German biathlon team shared a video on Instagram that day showing Justus Strelow briefly stopping his celebration when his bronze medal slipped and fell. They jokingly questioned the quality of the medals in the post, asking, “Are these not for celebrating?”
Andrea Francisi, Chief Games Operations Officer for Milano Cortina 2026, addressed the problem of awards falling off their ribbons at a press conference on February 9th. He stated that officials are aware of the issue and are investigating the cause, as reported by People magazine.
We’re focusing closely on the medals, ensuring the presentation is flawless. It’s a hugely important moment for the athletes, and we’re working hard to make it perfect.
Despite a few issues with the awards, the 2026 Olympics have already delivered many exciting moments. Here are some of the biggest highlights from the Winter Games.
Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto is surprised by her score in the women’s singles free skating team event.
Speedskater Jutta Leerdam of the Netherlands cried tears of joy after discovering she’d broken the Olympic record in the women’s 1,000-meter race.
China’s Eileen Gu competes in the women’s freestyle slopestyle—which earned her a silver medal.
After his performance in the men’s singles short program, U.S. skater Maxim Naumov held a photo of his parents, who have passed away, close to his heart.
A composite image shows off the many tricks seen in the women’s freestyle slopestyle.
The figure skating team who won the gold medal took a selfie with a special Olympic Edition of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 while celebrating on the podium.
No, it’s Team Austria’s ski jumper Julia Muehlbacher.
Selina Egle and Lara Michaela Kipp of Austria zoom by during the luge women’s doubles.
Lindsey Vonn, a U.S. skier, appeared focused and determined while training just days after suffering a torn ACL in a crash.
Oh my gosh, I just had to tell someone! I was watching Alysa Liu, and she’s absolutely incredible! She was doing the short program, and her Biellmann spin? Seriously, it was breathtaking. She just floats through the air! I can’t stop thinking about it – she’s a total skating queen!
Jennifer Dodds of Team Great Britain looked very anxious while watching the curling mixed doubles round robin match against South Korea.
Snoop Dogg,serving as an Olympics correspondent for NBC, tries his hand at curling at a practice.
Evan Bates and Madison Chock, both U.S. figure skaters and a couple in real life, seem perfectly in sync when they perform their rhythm ice dance.
Laila Edwards, the first Black woman to play hockey for the U.S. in the Olympics, competes against Sara Cajanova of the Czech Republic during their game.
Australian snowboarder Valentino Guseli embraced Czech competitor Jakub Hrones after their performances in the men’s big air qualifying round.
Bulgarian ski jumper Vladimir Zografski hits the brakes during a training session.
Korey Dropkin, an American curler, cheered with excitement after his team won against Switzerland in a mixed doubles curling match.
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2026-02-11 03:49