Why so few this year? Free condoms run out at 2026 Winter Olympics in just 3 days
Free condoms have been offered to Olympic athletes since the 1988 Seoul Games to promote safe sex and raise awareness about sexually transmitted diseases
At the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, free condoms for athletes at the Olympic Village ran out in just three days, Italian newspaper La Stampa reports.
An anonymous athlete said: “The supplies ran out in just three days. They promised more will arrive, but we don’t know when.”
This year, only 10,000 condoms were provided, far fewer than the 3,00,000 given at the 2024 Paris Summer Games and the 4,50,000 at Rio 2016. Fewer athletes compete at the Winter Olympics (around 2,900), and many are staying in Milan instead of Cortina.
Free condoms have been offered to Olympic athletes since the 1988 Seoul Games to promote safe sex and raise awareness about sexually transmitted diseases. Lombardy governor Attilio Fontana defended the practice, calling it a normal part of the Games.
Spanish figure skater Olivia Smart went viral on Instagram after sharing a video of the condoms with the yellow Lombardy Region logo, joking: “I found them. They have everything you need.”
The Olympic Village also offers a gym, table football, air hockey, a piano and free drinks like Coca-Cola and smoothies. Organisers are working to restock condoms, though no timeline has been announced.
