A medal replacement ceremony for Azerbaijani athletes Gashim Magomedov and Hasrat Jafarov has been held at the National Olympic Committee.
As reported by Idman.Biz, the athletes received new medals after their original awards from the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics showed noticeable signs of wear and deterioration.
Taekwondo fighter Magomedov was presented with a new silver medal, while Greco-Roman wrestler Jafarov received a replacement bronze. The updated awards were officially handed over during the ceremony at the NOC headquarters.
The issue appears to have affected several Azerbaijani medallists from Paris 2024. Out of seven athletes who reached the podium, five experienced visible changes in the quality of their medals. Among those impacted were judo Olympic champion Hidayat Heydarov’s gold (73 kg), Zelim Kotsoyev’s gold (100 kg), boxer Alfonso Dominguez’s silver (92 kg), as well as bronze medallists Hasrat Jafarov (67 kg) and Giorgi Meshvildishvili (125 kg).
The situation has drawn attention to durability concerns surrounding the Paris 2024 medals, prompting official action to ensure athletes receive awards that reflect their achievements at the highest level of international sport.
