Milan Cortina 2026 faces a medal malfunction crisis as several Olympic champions report their medals detaching from ribbons during celebrations. Women's downhill champion Breezy Johnson revealed her medal had separated from its ribbon moments after receiving it on the podium. The American skier demonstrated the issue during her victory press conference, showing how the medal had come apart from its decorative ribbon.

Figure skater Alysa Liu also experienced the same problem, sharing video on social media of her detached medal. Both athletes have since received replacement medals, though concerns remain about their durability. The issue appears to stem from the clasp mechanism connecting the ribbon to the medal itself. Biathlete Justus Stretlow from Germany's team also reported similar problems when his medal's clasp broke during post-race celebrations.

Milan Cortina organisers acknowledge the problem and are investigating the manufacturing defect. Andrea Francisi from the organising committee stated they are "looking into exactly what the problem is" and will "pay maximum attention to the medals." The malfunction comes just months after Paris 2024 faced criticism when hundreds of medals began tarnishing and discoloring, forcing replacements for over 200 athletes. Quick Fact: Over 200 athletes had to return their original Paris 2024 medals for replacements due to quality issues.