Sydney Marathon Medal Design Under Fire for Allegedly Featuring Wrong Stadium

One week out from the world-renowned Sydney Marathon, organisers face questions about whether designers etched the wrong city's stadium on the participation medal. The medal appears to feature a stadium carved in the likeness of Allianz Arena in the German city of Munich, rather than Allianz Stadium in Sydney – which the 42.2km (26.2 mile) course runs past. The BBC has reached out to Sydney Marathon for comment. Some 40,000 runners will be taking part in the event on 30 August, after more than 120,000 ballot entries. Speculation about a possible mix-up began after Sydney Marathon's official social media account unveiled its design for the 2026 medal, inviting users to "look closely and you'll find the story of the course in the details". They continued: "A beautiful Sydney skyline brings the course to life, featuring the landmarks runners will experience along the way - starting with the Sydney Harbour Bridge and finishing at the world-famous Sydney Opera House."