Some of the most memorable sports images capture athletes biting their medals in celebration of their achievements.
Athletes from various sports, including icons like Usain Bolt and Antoine Dupont, along with Olympians, footballers, and rugby players globally, have all embraced this iconic ritual.
Recently, multiple Olympians, including Team GB’s Tom Daley, have been seen biting their medals at the Paris Olympics. Meanwhile, England’s star Jude Bellingham was also recently spotted biting his medal after securing the Champions League title with Real Madrid this past summer.
While the exact origins of this trend are uncertain, many attribute it to Team GB’s 4x100m relay team, which featured athletes like Derek Redmond, John Regis, Kriss Akabusi, and Roger Black, as some of the early adopters of this practice.
However, biting a medal may not be the safest practice; German Luger David Moeller, who competed at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, reported chipping his tooth after attempting to bite down on his silver medal.
Many have wondered why Olympic athletes, like Antoine Dupont (pictured) bite their medals after clinching glory
There are many theories to the phenomena, with Team GB swimmer Tom Daley (pictured) having also participated in the trend after winning silver this week in Paris
Some greats of world sport, including Usain Bolt (pictured) have participated in the trend
But what drives athletes to engage in this tradition? Various theories exist: some suggest it stems from historic practices of testing gold, while others think it’s a promotional gimmick encouraged by event organizers.
One common belief is that, since gold is softer compared to silver or bronze, biting into a medal serves as a test for authenticity. If bite marks are left, it indicates a genuine gold medal. This method was also employed during the California gold rush when prospectors would check for real gold by biting on it.
As per Oxford Economics, an Olympic gold medal is valued around £798, yet it’s not solely made of gold; it consists of approximately six grams of gold, with the remainder being silver, weighing about 1.17lbs.
Silver medals weigh slightly less at 1.17lbs, while bronze medals have a weight of 1lb.
Conversely, others argue that the practice is driven by photographers. David Wallechinsky, president of the International Society of Olympic Historians, stated in a CNN interview back in 2012 that athletes often bite their medals due to requests from photographers.
It’s not just Olympians, though, who bite their medals, with Jude Bellingham (pictured) having been pictured biting his Champions League winners medal earlier this summer
Simone Biles (pictured) is seen biting her gold medal after the women’s all-round final of the artistic gymnastics at Rio 2016
Some believe the trend is an obsession among photographers who ask the athletes to bit their medals for pictures (Michael Phelps, pictured)
‘It’s become an obsession with the photographers,” Wallechinsky remarked.
‘They see it as an iconic image, something that can potentially be monetized.
‘I doubt the athletes would engage in this practice without such prodding.’
Others, like Frank Farley, a professor at Temple University in Philadelphia, view biting the medal as a social ritual that connects athletes to the broader ‘winning zeitgeist’.
‘Sport has its quirks,’ he noted, according to Lad Bible. ‘To feel part of the winning culture, embracing this tradition is essential.
‘It personalizes your medal, forging an emotional bond with your triumph.’
