The Olympic Village in Milano.Image: EPA ANSA
A report about the use of condoms in the Olympic Villages of the Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo caused a stir. Now a solution has apparently been found.
February 15, 2026, 10:55February 15, 2026, 10:55
David Digili / t-online
The organizers of the Winter Olympics in Italy have promised supplies of free condoms for the athletes. “We can confirm that the supply of condoms in the Olympic villages was temporarily used up because demand was higher than expected,” said the organizing committee in response to a dpa request. Supplies are already on the way and will be distributed across the villages by Monday. The AP news agency first reported on it.
A report that condoms had run out in the Olympic villages caused a stir, and not just among the athletes. “The cliché is that Valentine’s Day is in full swing in the Olympic Village,” said Mark Adams, spokesman for the International Olympic Committee, with a wink at the weekend and calculated: “10,000 were used, 2,800 athletes – you can do the math.”
“Ensure there are always some available”
Now the Italian organizers have responded to the condom shortage and will provide relief. “They will be continually replenished until the end of the games to ensure that there are always some available,” the OK continued. The Winter Games end on February 22nd next Sunday.
It’s not a new problem: free condoms are a big topic at every edition of the Olympic Games. For the first time, condoms were available for athletes at the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul, South Korea. There are said to have been around 300,000 at the 2024 Games in Paris. The condoms are also popular as souvenirs.
Sources used:
- With material from the dpa news agency