CWG 2026: Why Do Athletes Bite Their Medals During Award Ceremonies? Reason Revealed

The Commonwealth Games 2026 are underway and India are doing well in grabbing medals. However, one of the most common sights during every medal ceremony is athletes biting their medals while posing for photographs.

India have already collected 12 medals and will be hoping to add many more before the Games conclude. But have you ever wondered why medal winners bite their medals after stepping onto the podium?

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Why Do Athletes Bite Their Medals?

Contrary to popular belief, athletes do not bite their medals to check whether they are made of real gold. The tradition has evolved into a photo opportunity rather than a test of authenticity.

According to David Wallechinsky, president of the International Society of Olympic Historians and author of The Complete Book of the Olympics, the iconic pose exists for one simple reason: “photographers ask athletes to do it.”

The gesture has now become synonymous with victory, with photographers encouraging medal winners to bite their medals because it creates a memorable and instantly recognizable image.

The tradition, however, has historical roots. Centuries ago, merchants would bite gold coins to verify whether they were genuine. Pure gold is a relatively soft metal, meaning it could leave a small indentation when bitten. Counterfeit coins, often made from harder metals and coated with gold, would not react the same way.

That practice eventually became associated with proving the authenticity of gold and later evolved into one of the most famous victory poses in modern sport.

Are Gold Medals Actually Made Of Gold?

Modern gold medals, including those awarded at the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games, are not made from solid gold. Instead, they are primarily made of sterling silver before being coated with a thin layer of pure gold.

Tony Bijkerk, secretary-general of the International Society of Olympic Historians, explained that the last Olympic gold medals made entirely of gold were awarded at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics.

Since then, rising gold prices and economic considerations have led organizers to use silver as the base material with a gold plating on the surface.

Under International Olympic Committee (IOC) regulations, an Olympic gold medal must contain at least 92.5% sterling silver and be coated with a minimum of six grams of 24-karat gold. As a result, only around 1.45% of an Olympic gold medal is actually gold by weight.

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A Tradition That Follows

Today, athletes know their medals are not solid gold, but the bite remains one of the most iconic moments of every major sporting event. From the Olympic Games to the Commonwealth Games, the pose has become a symbol of triumph, ensuring that every medal-winning photograph captures a celebration that fans instantly recognize around the world.

As the Commonwealth Games 2026 progresses, many more athletes can be seen posing and smiling with their medals, along with a biting pose.