MILAN: Just days into the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics 2026, organisers have been caught flat-footed after free condoms at the athletes’ village ran out entirely.
An initial stock of fewer than 10,000 packs, distributed as part of standard Olympic health provision, was exhausted within three days, according to Italian daily La Stampa. Athletes have since complained about the absence of replacements, despite assurances from officials that fresh supplies are on the way. No delivery date has been confirmed.
The scale of demand appears to have taken organisers by surprise. By comparison, athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics reportedly received around 300,000 condoms, roughly two per athlete per day, highlighting how modest the Winter Games allocation was by modern Olympic standards.
The issue briefly spilled into the public arena last week when governor of Lombardy Attilio Fontana, addressed the matter on social media. Free condoms, he said, were an established Olympic practice dating back to the Seoul 1988 Olympics, aimed at promoting awareness of sexually transmitted diseases.
Fuel was added to the moment when Spanish figure skater Olivia Smart posted a video on Instagram showing condoms branded with the Lombardy region’s yellow logo. “I found them,” she said cheerfully. “They have everything you need.” The clip swiftly went viral.
