What's in the box? The mystery gifts given to medallists at Paris 2024
Updated . First published at
It is customary for medallists at major sporting events to receive some kind of gift in addition to their medal when presented on the podium, and Paris 2024 is no different.
From stuffed toys to bouquets, the Olympic Games have seen it all but viewers have been left stumped by the puzzling brown boxes presented to the athletes.
Immediately after receiving their medal on the dais, the athletes are also handed a second item — a box around forty centimetres in length that resembles a relay baton.
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Gold medalist Jessica Fox of Team Australia celebrates on the podium during the women's slalom K-1 medal ceremony at Paris 2024. Justin Setterfield via Getty Images
It has since been revealed that the box contains an official Paris 2024 event poster for the athletes to take home with them.
The Olympic Games posters form part of a tradition that dates back to the Stockholm Games in 1912, with every Organising Committee producing posters that highlight various elements, symbols and values specific to their Games and the Olympic and Paralympic movements.
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The Paris 2024 posters, designed by French illustrator Ugo Gattoni, details a fantasy stadium-city that features Paris' iconic landmarks and Olympic venues as well as numerous Olympic sports and sporting figures in a splash of colour.
There is one poster for the Olympic Games and one for the Paralympic Games. However, for the first time in the history of the Summer Games, the two posters were designed together and can be combined to form one seamless image of Paris 2024.
French artist Ugo Gattoni's masterpiece, split in two. Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images
But that's not all
It has also been confirmed that after the medal ceremony, the athletes are given another item — a gold, silver or bronze medal-winning mascot, depending on the colour of the medal.
These plush toys depicting the Phryge, the little Phrygian cap serving as the mascot for Paris 2024 are made in France, and include a medal-coloured emblem sewn onto their front and the word "Bravo" on their back.
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The plush mascot medal-winning athletes will receive as a gift. Paris 2024
A switch-up for the Paralympics
During the Paralympics, the order of gifts will be switched with the plush Phryge to be presented during the medal ceremony and the posters to be distributed later on.
All of the gifts handed out at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games are presented to the athletes by event volunteers.
The Phryge that serves as the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games mascot also has a prosthetic leg.
What were the previous gifts presented to athletes?
Tokyo 2020: A small bouquet of yellow, green and blue flowers and a plushie mascot
Rio 2016: A miniature model of the Games' official logo
London 2012: A small bouquet of pink and green flowers
Beijing 2008: A bouquet of red flowers
Athens 2004: Ancient Greek wreaths and a bouquet of laurel
Sydney 2000: Bouquet of native flowers
