Rio 2016 Opens Friday: 12 Days Out, Final Medal Logistics 🇧🇷
Opening Ceremony lights up Maracanã on August 5. The Rio medals are already vaulted at the Olympic Village — recycled silver and bronze, FSC-certified wood ribbon rings. Two logistics notes worth understanding for any major sport event.
Opening Ceremony lights up Maracanã on August 5. The Rio medals are already vaulted at the Olympic Village — recycled silver and bronze, FSC-certified wood ribbon rings. Two logistics notes worth understanding for any major sport event.
Vault Storage Until 24 Hours Before
Rio organizers store medals in a secured vault until 24 hours before each ceremony — only the next-days inventory is moved to the venue. The two-tier storage protocol limits exposure of the full medal stock. For your own large multi-day events, splitting inventory between secure central storage and rolling venue-side stock reduces total risk.
Polish-and-Inspect Before Each Ceremony
Olympic medals get a 5-minute polish-and-inspect pass on each ceremony morning. Travel inside protective foam can leave micro-fibers on the polished surface; ceremony lighting amplifies any speck. For your premium-tier events, a 1-minute soft-cloth polish on each medal just before podium handout pays dividends in HD broadcast quality.