The issues came to light when karate gold medalist Li Qiaoqiao discovered that her newly awarded medal began peeling and shedding layers shortly after the medal ceremony concluded.
Medal Manufacturing Defects Surface After Closing Ceremony
Li, a former javelin thrower who transitioned to karate, brought the medal home where family members and teammates handled it to celebrate her achievement. The routine handling by well-wishers accelerated the degradation, causing the surface to flake, turn dull, and reveal a rough texture beneath the plating. To prevent further damage, Li resorted to wrapping the award in medical-grade transparent protective film.
Multiple members of her athletic delegation inspected the reverse sides of their own medals and discovered similar structural flaws, including edge peeling and electroplating bubbles. The widespread nature of the defects points to systemic issues in baseline material selection, plating processes, and pre-distribution quality control during manufacturing.
Conduct and Security Breaches at Venue Sites
Beyond hardware flaws, competition venues saw controversies regarding spectator behavior and rule enforcement. During the judo team finals, spectators in the stands displayed a Japanese military Rising Sun flag, a symbol associated with wartime history across East Asia.
On-Court Collisions and Officiating Disputes
Competitive friction extended to the playing surfaces, notably in squash and judo. During the men’s team squash match between Japan’s Endo Kojun and Hong Kong’s Leo Au Chun-ming, Japanese competitor Endo repeatedly blocked his opponent’s movement paths after executing shots.
In the judo discipline, the South Korean national team filed a formal complaint following the conclusion of the tournament. The delegation stated through official channels that athletes faced questionable and one-sided officiating calls during several critical matches, which they argue directly influenced the outcomes and undermined competitive fairness in a sport where Japan holds traditional administrative and cultural dominance.
Keep reading
