Many medals have already been won at the Paris Olympics and most of them have been immediately put into the mouths of the athletes.

Biting a newly won medal has become a ritual practiced for decades. The reason goes back to the history of the Olympic Games.

David Wallechinsky, president of the International Association of Olympic Historians, says journalists and photographers are to blame for everything.

"Photographers thought that athletes with medals in their mouths were iconic photos that would easily sell tomorrow's paper. Such photos could be on the front page without a second thought. I don't think athletes would normally do that," Wallechinsky explained to the site. official website of the Olympic Games.

German Olympian David Möller won a silver medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Because of the same medal, he lost his teeth.

"The photographers wanted a picture of me holding the medal in my teeth. Later at dinner I realized that my tooth had cracked", he declared.

It is the only recorded accident due to bite medals. There was also a theory that athletes bit the medals to check the quality, since gold, silver and bronze can be formed easily compared to other metals.

But athletes do not bite them because of this. A minimum of 987 medals must be awarded at the Paris Olympics. Most will have teeth marks on them after the price.