Free condoms distributed at the Olympic Village in Cortina during the 2026 Winter Olympics were exhausted within just three days, according to Italian media reports, with the shortage coinciding with International Condom Day on February 13.
Free condoms have been provided to athletes at Olympic Villages since the 1988 Summer Olympics, originally introduced to raise awareness about sexually transmitted diseases during the global AIDS crisis. An anonymous athlete told local media that officials had promised additional supplies but gave no clear timeline for restocking.
The number of condoms distributed at this year’s Winter Games was significantly lower compared to recent Summer Olympics, with only about 10,000 provided—far fewer than the 300,000 issued at the 2024 Summer Olympics and the 450,000 made available during the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Organisers noted that the lower figure reflects the smaller scale of the Winter Olympics, which features roughly 2,900 athletes compared to more than 10,000 competitors in Paris. In addition, many participants are based in Milan rather than staying in the Cortina Olympic Village, further affecting distribution patterns.
