A good portion of Olympic champions bite medals when posing for photographers and naturally the question arises: Why?
The reason is unclear, but once people bit coins to see if they were made of real gold, as solid gold is more malleable than other metals. Some think it is simply an inherited tradition that aims to test gold.
In fact, this explanation is based on a logical error, as the medals awarded at the Olympic Games are not made of pure gold, so athletes do not have to feel compelled to do "improvised tests" of quality.
The most likely reason for the medal bite is likely to be simply for photo issues. "There's been a fixation on photographers," David Wallechinsky, president of the International Association of Olympic Historians, told CNN in 2012.
"I think they see it as an iconic picture, as something you could possibly sell. I do not think it is something athletes would do themselves."
However, athletes should avoid their bite.
"We just want to officially confirm that the # Tokyo2020 medals are not edible!" - writes the organizers.
Modern medals include some uncomfortable materials, so athletes need to be careful about strong bites.
"Our medals are made from material recycled from electronic devices donated by the Japanese public. So you don't have to bite them ... but we know you will."
For the first time in history, Tokyo 2020 medals are different .
