2026 Winter Olympics: Condom Stock Runs Dry Days After Games Open

Athletes at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics have exhausted the entire supply of free condoms just days after the Games began, following a sharp reduction in allocation by organizers from previous Olympic editions.

According to Italian newspaper La Stampa, organizers made fewer than 10,000 condoms available inside the Olympic Village, a dramatic reduction compared to the approximately 300,000 distributed at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.

With about 3,000 athletes attending the Winter Games, the supply was quickly depleted.

One athlete, who spoke anonymously to La Stampa, said the condoms were completely gone within 72 hours of the Games opening. He added that officials had assured competitors that more supplies would be delivered, although no clear timeline was given.

The Governor of Lombardy, Attilio Fontana, defended the distribution policy in a social media post, emphasizing that providing free condoms at the Olympic Village is a long-established practice aimed at promoting sexual health and preventing sexually transmitted infections.

“Yes, we provide free condoms to athletes in the Olympic Village. If this seems strange to some, they are unaware of the established Olympic practice. It began in Seoul in 1988 to raise awareness among athletes and young people about sexually transmitted disease prevention, something that should not cause embarrassment,” Mr. Fontana wrote.

For this year’s Games, the condoms were reportedly branded with the slogan “Health first: prevention and common sense,” alongside the Lombardy regional emblem, reinforcing the public health message behind the initiative.

The International Olympic Committee first rolled out free condom distribution during the Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics as part of efforts to combat the global HIV/AIDS crisis.

Over the years, the programme has evolved into a standard feature of both the Summer and Winter Olympics, symbolizing the Games’ broader commitment to athlete welfare and responsible behaviour.

In contrast to the reduced allocation in Milan, organizers at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics distributed roughly 300,000 condoms, averaging about two per athlete per day, reflecting a more expansive supply strategy.

The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, co-hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, have drawn competitors from more than 90 countries to venues across northern Italy.

First staged in 1924 in Chamonix, France, the Winter Games are held every four years and feature sports such as skiing, ice hockey, figure skating, snowboarding, biathlon, and bobsleigh.