Why Olympics medal winners are given a cardboard box explained and what is inside it

The 2024 Summer Olympics are well underway in Paris with the world's top athletes pitting their wits against one another. Team GB have six medals to their name at the midway point of day four of the Games, but have you noticed another mysterious gift medal winners are given on the podium?

A long cardboard box with no markings on it has left social media users pondering what could be inside, but wonder no more.

Medal winning athletes are being given a bespoke Paris-themed poster to commemorate their achievements at the Games.

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When you open the box and unravel the poster, there's a cartoon version of Paris designed by illustrator Ugo Gattoni. The Eiffel Tower is pictured in red, with a variety of sports taking place on the River Seine.

The iconic French landmark is adorned with the words 'XXXIII Olympiade' highlighting the fact that Paris 2024 is the 33rd edition of the Olympic Games.

The aim of Gattoni's artwork is to show the full story of the Paris 2024 games, from rowing on the river Seine to an athlete diving from an Olympic board.

Medal winning athletes also get a plush cuddly toy version of Phryge, this summer's mascot for the Games, who represents freedom and showcases important historical figures of the French Republic.

“It’s a new, key moment in the Paris 2024 story,” Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet said upon the poster's release in March.

“We’ve tried to be different and imagine posters that look like us, posters that go beyond a mere logo.”