In photos and videos on social media, American figure skater Alysa Liu is seen wearing a gold medal around her neck. However, this medal is different from the one she won when the U.S. team took gold in the team figure skating event at the Winter Olympics on Sunday, February 8th.
At the age of 20, figure skater Alysa Liu became one of the brightest stars for the United States in the first week of the Winter Olympics. The defending women’s world champion is known for her straightforward and humorous personality, combining athletic prowess and personal charm. Since the start of the competition a few days ago, she has been a central figure in news coverage of the Winter Olympics.
After winning her first gold medal, Liu expressed her excitement about showcasing the medal with her teammates at the Olympic Village. She was bouncing around happily with her gold medal when it unexpectedly fell off the ribbon, hitting the ground and sustaining visible damage.
“I was just jumping around like everyone was celebrating, and the medal just fell off,” Liu explained in an interview with Overtime on February 9th. “It just came off the ribbon like that. The medal got scratched a lot… dented badly.”
Liu seemed unfazed by the wear and tear on the medal. In fact, she even found the damaged medal more endearing. However, event officials intervened.
The Olympic Committee quickly contacted Alysa Liu, requesting a meeting to replace the damaged medal. Yet, when she met with them, they did not reattach her original medal to a new ribbon.
Instead, they gave her a new gold medal and took back the one she had been wearing on the podium and in front of fans on television.
“I actually quite liked how it looked without being on the ribbon, but the rules don’t allow it,” she said. “I had to give it up. I even begged, ‘Can’t you fix this one?’ I had an attachment to it. But it’s okay, I’ve come to terms with it. Just like before.”
Alysa Liu’s medal is not the only one that has encountered misfortune; Breezy Johnson, the gold medalist in women’s alpine skiing downhill from the United States, also revealed that her medal had been damaged.
Johnson showed reporters how the medal fell off the ribbon during the celebration.
“Never jump up. I was too excited at the time, and the medal (ribbon) broke,” she said. “The medal is here, the ribbon is here, and this small part that should be inserted into the ribbon to secure the medal. Yeah, it came apart.” Johnson joked that she hoped officials could fix it and added, “It’s not too badly damaged, but it’s indeed a bit broken.”
The German biathlon team shared a video showing Justus Strelow’s bronze medal falling to the ground, causing him to stop his celebration immediately.
On Monday, February 9th, the Winter Olympics Organizing Committee responded to growing concerns about the medals. Andrea Francisi, Chief Operating Officer of the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo 2026 Winter Olympics, confirmed that officials are investigating the matter. “We will pay special attention to the medals,” he told People magazine, noting that the moment on the podium is “possibly one of the most crucial moments for athletes.”
Alysa Liu will aim to win another gold medal in the women’s individual figure skating competition next week. Joining her in the competition are her American teammate and national champion Amber Glenn, as well as Japanese skater Kaori Sakamoto. Sakamoto defeated two American skaters in the team event.