Brazilian to get new medal after shower incident

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

(CBS/AP) Olympic athlete Felipe Kitadai, who broke his bronze medal in the shower, is catching a break from the International Olympic Committee and will reportedly receive a new one.

The Brazilian Olympic Committee formally requested a new medal after the incident. The IOC responded and said they will give him a new one, according to GloboEsporte.com, despite the fact they are under no obligation to do so.

Kitadai won a bronze medal in judo on the first day of competition. He said he was carrying the medal everywhere. When he took it with him to the shower as a joke, he dropped it while trying to keep it from getting wet.

Kitadai told Brazil's GloboEsporte.com that the part holding the medal's string broke, and 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.