Olympic Medals: The Unique Square Design

Departing from the traditional circular form, the medals of the 1984 Winter Games introduced a heavy, geometric aesthetic that synthesized the region’s decorative arts with the strict requirements of Olympic protocol. Minted in Belgrade and designed to sit alongside a graphic identity dominated by the "snowflake" emblem, these objects remain a distinct marker of the first Winter Olympics held in a socialist state.

Fast Facts

Designer: Nebojša Mitrić (Belgrade)
Mint: Produced in a Belgrade mint
Shape: Uniquely squared/irregular
Design: Stylized snowflake with Olympic rings and embroidery motif
Total Minted: 285 medals
Total Awarded: 222 medals

Sculpting the Snowflake: Design and Iconography

The visual identity of the Sarajevo Games was strictly codified, revolving around two central figures: the mascot "Vučko" (the wolf) and the official emblem, a stylized "snowflake". The design of the victory medal, entrusted to the Belgrade artist Nebojša Mitrić, translated this graphic system into physical metal.

Mitrić’s design is immediately engaging for its refusal to adhere to the standard circular format of Olympic awards. The medal features a "uniquely squared" shape, a heavy, irregular form that serves as a canvas for the Games' primary symbols. On the obverse, the medal carries the official snowflake emblem surmounted by the Olympic rings. This snowflake was not merely a meteorological reference; it was designed to symbolize the traditional embroidery patterns characteristic of the Sarajevo region, grounding the international event in local craft heritage. The face is encircled by the inscription "XIV ZIMSKE OLIMPIJSKE IGRE - SARAJEVO 1984."

Production: The Belgrade Mint

While the Games were centered in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the production of the awards was a federal Yugoslav effort. The medals were minted in Belgrade, with official reports confirming that 285 medals were struck for the Games.

The production was tightly controlled to match the sporting schedule. Of the 285 items produced, exactly 222 were awarded to athletes during the competition days in February. The physical object was often presented in tandem with a paper diploma, which reiterated the "squared" aesthetic and graphic standards set out in the organizing committee's manuals.

Ceremony and Protocol: The Skenderija Presentation

The presentation of the awards in Sarajevo followed a specific protocol designed to maximize visibility for the international media assembled in the city. While podiums were constructed at the mountain venues—archival photographs and later physical surveys show a medals podium situated at the ski jump complex on Mount Igman—the official bulletin of the Organizing Committee records that the formal presentation of the medals took place at the Main Press-Centre in the Skenderija complex.

By centralizing the medal ceremonies at Skenderija, the organizers ensured that the designers’ work was broadcast effectively to the global audience, in the presence of Yugoslav and foreign journalists. The ritual of the award extended beyond the metal object itself. Winners also received a paper diploma, which acted as a graphical extension of the medal. These diplomas featured the same "squared" design language and typography, reinforcing the consistent visual identity that governed the Games' appearance.

Afterlife and Material Legacy

The physical legacy of the Sarajevo medal is split between the objects preserved in collections and the monumental ruins of the ceremony infrastructure left in the landscape. On the very day of the Opening Ceremony, the Museum of the XIV Winter Olympic Games was inaugurated to preserve the material culture of the event, aiming to present the "unity of sports and culture." This institution was intended to be the permanent home for the narrative of the Games, housing the "Golden Book" and other artifacts of the organization.

However, the sites where these medals were won and celebrated have faced a more turbulent history. In the years following the dissolution of Yugoslavia and the subsequent conflict, the Olympic infrastructure was heavily damaged. Reports from the post-war period describe the ski jump area at Mount Igman as a "haunting shell," where the medals podium—once the stage for the Games’ highest honors—stood derelict. Despite the destruction of the physical venues, the iconography minted onto the medals has survived in the city's urban fabric; the snowflake emblem remains visible on infrastructure near the Zetra hall, enduring as a symbol of the city's Olympic heritage.