The Winter Olympics in Italy has hit an unexpected—and eyebrow-raising—crisis: the 10,000 condoms supplied to athletes at the Olympic Village have been completely exhausted within just 72 hours.
“The supplies ran out in just three days,” an anonymous athlete told La Stampa. “They promised more, but who knows when it will arrive.”
Condoms have long been a staple in Olympic Villages as part of a public health initiative promoting safe sex. But this year, the numbers fell dramatically short. In the 2024 Paris Games, athletes received 300,000 condoms—enough for two per day per athlete—but Italy’s Winter Games barely provided 10,000.
“The organizers were not particularly generous with the numbers,” the athlete added.
Despite the shortage, officials say there’s no cause for embarrassment. Lombardy governor Attilio Fontana posted on social media: “Yes, we provide free condoms to athletes in the Olympic Village. This has been an Olympic tradition since Seoul 1988, raising awareness about sexually transmitted diseases—a topic that should never cause shame.”
Adding a lighter note, Spanish figure skater Olivia Smart shared a viral Instagram clip showing the condoms stamped with the yellow Lombardy Region logo. “I found them,” she said. “They have everything you need.”
The 2026 Winter Olympics host 2,900 athletes from 92 countries competing in 116 events across 16 disciplines. With female athletes now making up 47% of participants—the highest in Winter Games history—the early depletion of condoms has become one of the most talked-about stories of the Games so far.
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