Why Alysa Liu Wasn’t Allowed to Keep Olympic Gold Medal After It Broke
The medal makers at the 2026 Winter Olympics may need to step up their game.
Shortly after Team USA figure skater Alysa Liu won the gold in the team event on Feb. 8, she revealed her medal broke, making her the latest athlete whose medal unexpectedly detached from its ribbon.
“I was just jumping up and down, as one does to celebrate, and it just dropped,” she told Overtime in an interview posted on Feb. 9. “It just literally fell off of the ribbon. It got very scratched up… pretty dented.”
Despite the imperfections, Alysa was happy to keep her hard-earned medal—but it’s what happened next that was even more surprising.
“I actually liked it when it was off the ribbon, but that’s not allowed,” the 20-year-old said. “I had to give it in. I was like, ‘Can’t you just fix this one?’ I’m attached. But it’s OK, I’m detached. Just like it was.”
Indeed, Alysa is not the first athlete to break their medal. Olympic skier Breezy Johnson also experienced a detachment issue following her win in the women’s downhill title on Feb. 8.
“Do not jump in them. I was jumping in excitement and it broke,” Breezy told reporters in a post-ceremony interview as she displayed her broken medal on camera. “So there’s the medal, there’s the ribbon, and here’s the little piece that is supposed to go into the ribbon to hold the medal. Yeah, it came apart.”
The 30-year-old—whose win marked Team USA’s first in the Milan Cortina Games—was hopeful her medal would be repaired, joking, “I’m sure someone will fix it. It’s not crazy broken, but it’s a little broken.”
Andy Cheung/Getty Images
That same day, the German biathlon team posted a video to Instagram, showing Justus Strelow halting his celebrations with his teammates after his bronze medal fell to the ground. Alongside the viral clip, the team poked fun at the faulty medals, writing, “Are they not meant to be celebrated?”
The ongoing issue was ultimately addressed by Andrea Francisi, the Milano Cortina 2026 Chief Games Operations Officer, at a press briefing on Feb. 9. He confirmed officials are “fully aware of the situation” and looking into why the awards keep detaching from their ribbon, according to People.
“We’re going to pay particular attention to the medals and obviously this is something that [we want] everything [to] be perfect when the medal is handed over, because this is probably one of the most important moments for the athletes,” he said. “So we’re working on it.”
Aside from the prize mishaps, there’s been plenty of big moments to come out of the 2026 Olympics. Keep reading for more highlights from the Winter Games.
WANG Zhao/AFP via Getty Images
Scream and Shout
Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto is surprised by her score in the women’s singles free skating team event.
JASPER JACOBS/BELGA MAG/Belga/AFP via Getty Images
All the Emotions
Dutch speedskater Jutta Leerdam wipes tears from her eyes after learning she set an Olympic record in the women’s 1,000-meter race.
Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
Big Air
China’s Eileen Gu competes in the women’s freestyle slopestyle—which earned her a silver medal.
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
With Him Always
U.S. skater Maxim Naumov holds a photo of his late parents close after competing in the men’s single skating short program.
Hector Vivas/Getty Images
Twists and Turns
A composite image shows off the many tricks seen in the women’s freestyle slopestyle.
Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
Say Cheese!
The winners of the figure skating team event snap a selfie with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition while on the podium.
Tom Weller/Getty Images
It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane
No, it’s Team Austria’s ski jumper Julia Muehlbacher.
Robert Michael/picture alliance via Getty Images
Double Trouble
Selina Egle and Lara Michaela Kipp of Austria zoom by during the luge women’s doubles.
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/GettyImages
Never Give Up
U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn looks determined as she attends a training session days after rupturing her ACL in a crash.
Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Ice to See You
Alysa Liu of United States performs the Biellmann spin during the women’s single skating short program event.
Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images
So Close
Team Great Britain’s Jennifer Dodds has a nail-biting reaction to the curling mixed doubles round robin match against South Korea.
Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images
Curl It Like It’s Hot
Snoop Dogg, serving as an Olympics correspondent for NBC, tries his hand at curling at a practice.
Tim Clayton/Getty Images
In Sync
U.S. figure skaters and real-life couple Evan Bates and Madison Chock are a perfect match while performing their rhythm ice dance routine.
Federico Manoni/NurPhoto via Getty Images
On the B-rink of History
Laila Edwards, the first Black woman representing the U.S. in Olympic hockey, faces off against Czech player Sara Cajanova during the United States vs. Czech Republic game.
Hannah Peters/Getty Images
Friendship Knows No Borders
Australian snowboarder Valentino Guseli shares a hug with Team Czechia’s Jakub Hrones during the men’s snowboard big air qualifiers.
Javier SORIANO / AFP via Getty Images
Photo Finish
Bulgarian ski jumper Vladimir Zografski hits the brakes during a training session.
Al Bello/Getty Images
Swept Away With Joy
American curler Korey Dropkin lets out a victorious shout after his team defeats Switzerland in a mixed doubles round bobin match.
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