Brazilian athlete breaks Olympic medal in shower

Brazil's Felipe Kitadai kisses his bronze medal on the podium of the men's 60 kgs contest match of the judo event at the London 2012 Olympic Games on July 28, 2012 in London. / FRANCK FIFE/AFP/GettyImages

(AP) LONDON - A Brazilian judoka accidentally broke his Olympic bronze medal when he brought it into the shower. Now he's fighting to have it replaced.

Felipe Kitadai said he was carrying the medal everywhere. He took it with him to the shower as a joke, then dropped it while trying to keep it from getting wet.

Felipe Kitadai of Brazil stands on the medal stand during the Men's 60 kg Judo on Day 1 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at ExCeL on July 28, 2012 in London, England.

/ Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

Kitadai told Brazil's GloboEsporte.com that the part holding the medal's string broke, and now he can't wear it around his neck. He said there's also a small dent on it.

Kitadai won the bronze in the men's 60-kilogram division Saturday.

The Brazilian Olympic Committee says it will request a new medal even though it knows the International Olympic Committee has no obligation to give Kitadai another one.

[Bush-cheney-R-Terrorists]

Why is Brazil making an issue of this when the thing can be easily repaired? Did he get the extended warranty on it for an extra 79.99? It covers everything that might go wrong with it. You break it, just bring it back.

[wtcmedic911]

Made in China or India?

[nohater]

wonder if it was made in china. thinking so. almost any product out of china is horse manure.

[bobnjersey]

[Felipe Kitadai said he was carrying the medal everywhere. He took it with him to the shower as a joke, then dropped it while trying to keep it from getting wet.]
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looks like the jokes on him.

maybe if he didn't win a medal he'd be asking for a 'do-over'.

things get wet in the shower ... and they sometimes break when you drop them.

[formerlyluvnut]

LAWD have mercy.

[retiredgustav]

Must have been made in China!

[FerdFerkle]

I it out of real bronze? It should be stronger than that!

[EmpireGeorge______--]

bronze is fairly soft, compared to other metals.

[Jaylah54200]

I suppose the IOC has a few spares, just in case *they* manage to break one or two. And it's a nice "good will" gesture for them to replace his.

But it does rather seem to me that, once it's been awarded to you, if you break it, then YOU can take it to a jewelers and have it repaired.

[fstopme]

You're kidding right? The IOC are all stingy, snobby, arrogant SOB's.

[StrongHelmet]

Why would an athlete carry his medal into the shower? What a bizarre thing to do, and "as a joke."

[EmpireGeorge______--]

bizzare thing would be letting it leave your presence.....to just leave it laying around is better ? then we would be reading about the athelete that got his medal stolen....if he earned it, he could sleep, eat and shower with the thing, I would....not bizzarre at all.

[erasmus111]

Yes, it is strange to take it into a shower. Also strange that it would break that easy. I can't see just dropping it doing damage. I'm thinking he did something else to it. Maybe if he THREW it down HARD.

Anyways, I don't think he should get another. If you can't look after it, then you go without.

"...to just leave it laying around is better ?"

What does everyone else do with theirs?? I doubt they wear them constantly. They must put them somewhere. Probably where people put their jewelry. IN A SAFE. Where is everyone staying? Hotels have safes.

[dld11211]

Give the guy a new medal, he is so very proud of it and worked so hard for it.

[Feeduptoo]

Totally agree. Just give him a new one and move on.