Supplies of free condoms at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics have been exhausted within three days, according to a report in Italian daily La Stampa.
The publication criticised organisers for what it described as a modest allocation. It contrasted the figures with those from the Paris 2024 Olympics, where athletes reportedly had access to 300,000 condoms: approximately two each per day. This time, the overall stock was said to be fewer than 10,000.
“In Paris the athletes received 300,000 condoms – two per day each – but the numbers for these Winter Games were significantly lower: not even 10,000,” read the report.
An unidentified athlete told the newspaper, “The supplies ran out in just three days. They promised us more will arrive, but who knows when.”
Close to 3,000 competitors are taking part in the Winter Olympics, a markedly smaller field than the roughly 10,500 athletes who featured at the Paris 2024 Olympics two years earlier, according to The Guardian.
Speaking last week, Lombardy's governor, Attilio Fontana, dismissed suggestions that the issue should be viewed as awkward or controversial. In a post on social media, he confirmed that complimentary condoms are made available to athletes in the Olympic Village.
He added that those expressing surprise were overlooking long-standing Olympic custom, noting that the initiative dates back to the 1988 Summer Olympics, when it was introduced to promote awareness of sexually transmitted infections among competitors and young people.
According to Forbes, the 2026 Winter Olympics feature approximately 2,900 competitors representing 92 national Olympic committees, competing across 116 events in 16 disciplines. Notably, this edition marks a milestone for gender balance, with women making up 47% of the field: the highest proportion in the history of the Winter Games.
The shortfall would suggest that each individual accounted for roughly 6.7 condoms over the course of three days. Rounded up, that equates to seven in 72 hours, or just over two per day, reported Forbes.
Away from competition, the Olympic Village offers no shortage of ways to unwind. A spacious fitness centre sits at its heart, complemented by table football, air hockey and a piano. Athletes can also help themselves to complimentary beverages, with machines filled with Coca-Cola and products from Innocent Drinks, reported The Guardian.
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