Winter Olympics: Athletes Use 10,000 Condoms in First Days

Milan, Italy – Organizers at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics have scrambled to replenish condom supplies after a surge in demand depleted initial stocks, just days into the Games. The shortage, first reported by Italian news outlet La Stampa, prompted a promise of renewed deliveries between Sunday and Monday, according to a statement from the Italian organizing committee.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed Saturday that approximately 10,000 condoms had already been distributed to the roughly 2,800 athletes participating in the Games, which opened on February 6. IOC spokesperson Mark Adams acknowledged the rapid consumption, stating, “10,000 have been used, for 2,800 athletes. Go figure, as they say.”

The demand significantly outpaced initial projections, particularly when compared to the 300,000 condoms provided for the larger contingent of athletes at the 2024 Paris Summer Games. Alpine skier Mialitiana Clerc of Madagascar, a recipient of an IOC scholarship, indicated she wasn’t surprised by the quick depletion, recalling a similar situation at the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022. “I am not so shocked given that I know that at the Winter Olympic Games We find a lot of people using condoms because I saw it in Beijing already,” she said at a media briefing. “There were a lot of boxes at the entrance of every building where we were staying and every day, everything had gone from the box.”

An anonymous athlete told La Stampa that the initial supply “sold out in just three days,” and expressed uncertainty about the timing of the next delivery. Organizers have assured athletes that supplies will be “continuously replenished until the end of the Games to ensure continued availability.”

The condoms themselves carry messages promoting safe sex practices. Packets include reminders to “play fair” and “ask for consent,” as well as warnings against sexually transmitted infections and encouragement to “protect yourself.” One message playfully states, “No demand to be a gold medallist to wear it!”

The distribution of condoms at Olympic Games has been a longstanding tradition, with organizers viewing it as a public health measure. Former table tennis player Matthew Syed reflected on the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, describing it as a period of intense social activity alongside the sporting competition.

The Milan-Cortina Games, running through February 22, are spread across multiple locations in northern Italy, including Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, and Livigno. The dispersed nature of the facilities may have contributed to the logistical challenges of maintaining adequate condom supplies.