Here's why Olympians are awarded stuffed tigers in Pyeongchang

Get the Full StoryAfter training all your life to become the most powerful athletes in the world, Olympic medalists are given... a stuffed tiger.

It might seem a bit anticlimactic to viewers, but the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics claim they have a good reason to be handing out plushies in place of medals.

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According to the International Olympic Committee, athletes who place in the top three receive the stuffed tiger immediately after their event, and later receive their medal during the nightly ceremony held at the aptly named Medal Plaza.

This move is typical for the Winter Olympics, but viewers might not recognize it because of its omission at the lengthier Summer Olympics, where it would be too difficult to host nightly medal ceremonies for all of its many events. Read more...More about Olympics, Medals, Pyeongchang, Winter Olympics, and Culture

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