Japan has filed an official protest with Olympic organizers after the figure skating medal podium at the Milan-Cortina Games left athletes with chipped skate blades following the team competition. Figure skaters rely on their blades being finely tuned so that they can execute ultra-precise moves, and medal podiums are usually covered in rubber to protect the edges from damage. READ: Winter Olympics 2026 guide: All you need to know Japan team official Yosuke Takeuchi said the podium in Milan was “a rough, asphalt-like substance made of cut stone”, which chipped skaters’ blades when they stepped onto it for Sunday’s medal […]... Keep on reading: Winter Olympics: Japan protests over 'rough' podium