The stolen Olympic medals of former judoka Gella Vandecaveye have been recovered following two house searches in the Antwerp region, as confirmed by the East Flanders public prosecutor’s office on Sunday afternoon.
A criminal investigation was initiated on Saturday after the medals were listed for sale on the website 2dehands.be. Police successfully traced both the medals and the seller, leading to the searches that resulted in their recovery.
The medals were stolen from Vandecaveye’s car in November 2023, but have now been secured. Authorities are working to return the medals to the former top athlete as swiftly as possible. Vandecaveye described the situation as an emotional rollercoaster. “The past two days have been a bit of a whirlwind,” she shared. “Messages poured in from everywhere: medals for sale, an online album… it all started appearing everywhere. It felt like everyone was investigating for me.”
She expressed relief at the prospect of the medals’ imminent return. “They’re in good hands and will come back to me when everyone is ready,” she said, noting the emotional release she felt. Public involvement has visibly touched her. “Seeing social media’s reaction… it’s hard to miss the public’s outrage. It’s heartening to see such empathy for the theft.”
Although she received two identical replicas from the IOC, Vandecaveye emphasised the unique value of the originals. “The main thing for me is getting the two originals back. I want to play this game correctly.”
An investigation into the origin of the medals and potential involvement of other individuals is ongoing. The seller is currently being further questioned.
Vandecaveye earned a silver medal at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 and a bronze medal in Sydney in 2000.
