Jutta Leerdam’s Winter Olympics gold victory could be set to be even more profitable as her skating suit goes under the hammer.
The Dutch skater, 27, who is the fiancée of Jake Paul, claimed gold and silver medals in Milan-Cortina, becoming a star of the Games after breaking the Olympic record to win in the 1,000m.
Leerdam made headlines when she unzipped her racing suit to reveal a white Nike sports bra after she crossed the finish line, which reportedly saw her pocket a $1million payday.
Now, that suit is making even more waves, with the Netherlands Olympic team putting it up for auction.
The bright orange suit, which is currently on display at the Staatsloterij TeamNL House in Milan, is being auctioned off online.
The bidding, which closes in eight days’ time, had already reached £2,448 ($3,304) as of Friday morning.
Jutta Leerdam’s skating suit from her gold- and silver-medal triumphs is up for auction
Bids have flooded in for Dutch skater’s autographed suit that she wore for the Winter Olympics
Other Dutch athletes have already offered up their Olympic items for auction, with all funds raised being donated to the local clubs where the athletes got their starts.
The jacket Jens van ‘t Wout wore during the opening ceremony in Milan has already raised £2,619 ($3,527).
The flag he used to present the Netherlands is also up for auction, as is the skating suit he wore to win gold.
Meanwhile, Femke Kok is donating the proceeds from her auctioned suit to the club where she started out: De Kluners Skating Training Club in Wijnjewoude.
The image of the visibly emotional Leerdam zipping down the suit quickly hit the back pages of newspapers and websites across the globe – and was quickly redistributed by Nike’s 298 million Instagram followers, with reports suggesting she could earn $1million from the sportswear giants as a result.
There were fears, however, that her post-race act could land her in hot water, given the IOC’s strict rules on advertising sponsors during the competition.
Yet on Thursday, it was confirmed that the Dutch skater had committed no infringement.
‘I’m not a figure skating expert, but I understand that opening one’s suit after a competition is normal for skaters. Especially since the suit is very tight. It’s common practice and not a marketing ploy,’ said Anne-Sophie Voumard, IOC marketing director.
The bidding, which closes in eight days’ time, had reached £2,448 ($3,304) as of Friday
The speed skater was supported by the YouTuber-turned-boxer at Milan-Cortina
Leerdam’s escape has not absolved her from wider criticism, though, with the 27-year-old called out for her ‘diva’ behaviour throughout the event, with her preference for luxury treatment not going down well.
Former Dutch footballer Johan Derksen led the charge of critics, slamming her decision to travel to Italy via a lavish private jet instead of travelling with her teammates.
‘Her behavior is horrible to me, like that of a diva,’ Derksen fumed prior to the event while speaking to the Dutch media about her high-profile public persona.
‘If I were her coach, I wouldn’t tolerate that. Gradually the whole of the Netherlands is starting to get a bit fed up with her behavior,’ he added sharply.
Leerdam further fueled the fire by skipping the Opening Ceremony, choosing instead to watch the event from her bed while her teammates marched in the stadium.
Images of her private jet – complete with custom flags and handmade cupcakes – had social media influencers and sporting fans alike deeply divided.