Organizers of the Milan Cortina Olympics have moved to replenish free condoms at athlete villages after supplies were temporarily exhausted during Valentine’s week, citing unexpectedly high demand.
The Italian organizing committee confirmed Saturday that stock levels had dropped across the Olympic Villages but assured athletes that additional deliveries were already underway.
“We can confirm that condom supplies in the Olympic Villages were temporarily depleted due to higher-than-anticipated demand,” the committee said in a statement. “Additional supplies are being delivered and will be distributed across all villages between today and Monday.”
The shortage emerged during Valentine’s Day celebrations at the Winter Games, prompting a swift logistical response from organizers. Officials indicated that distribution would continue without interruption through the closing ceremony on Feb. 22 to prevent further gaps.
Providing free condoms to athletes has been a long-standing Olympic tradition, often drawing global curiosity. At the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, approximately 300,000 condoms were distributed for more than 10,500 competitors. By contrast, initial stock for the Winter Games in Italy was considerably smaller.
International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams acknowledged the spike in usage during a Saturday briefing; “I think 10,000 have been used, 2,800 athletes, you can go figure, as they say,” Adams said. “It clearly shows that Valentine’s Day is in full swing in the village.”
The condom shortage followed earlier reports that plush toys of the official mascots, Milo and Tina, had also sold out in merchandise stores during the opening days of the Games, suggesting stronger-than-expected demand across multiple areas.
Athletes themselves described the practice as familiar. Alpine skier Mialitiana Clerc said the availability of condoms at Olympic housing sites has been consistent at past events, including the Winter Games in China four years ago.
“I’m not so shocked. I saw it in Beijing already,” Clerc said. “There were some boxes with a lot of condoms at the entrance of every building where we were staying at the village.”
“Every day, everything was (gone),” she added, speaking during an IOC news conference promoting its scholarship program. “I already know that a lot of people are using some condoms or just taking them to give to their friends outside of the Olympics because it’s a kind of gift for them.”
Organizers in Italy said there should be no additional shortages before the Games conclude; “They will be continuously replenished until the end of the games to ensure continued availability,” the local organizing committee stated.
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