Condom supplies in the Olympic Villages at the 2026 Winter Games have been temporarily depleted, the Milan-Cortina organizing committee confirmed, citing higher-than-expected demand from athletes.
An anonymous athlete told Italian outlet La Stampa that the free condoms “ran out in just three days” after the Games began. The organizing committee told PEOPLE that additional shipments are already on the way and will be distributed to all Olympic Villages between Sunday and Monday, with continuous replenishment planned throughout the Games.
“We can confirm that condom supplies in the Olympic Villages were temporarily depleted due to higher-than-anticipated demand,” the committee said. “Additional supplies are being delivered and will be distributed across all Villages. They will be continuously replenished until the end of the Games to ensure continued availability.”
La Stampa reported that fewer than 10,000 condoms were initially provided for the 2,871 athletes competing in Milan-Cortina 2026. By comparison, organizers at the 2024 Paris Games offered around 300,000 condoms for roughly 10,500 athletes.
Spanish figure skater Olivia Smart, 27, shared a glimpse of the condom supplies at the Olympic Village on TikTok at the start of the Games. “I found them,” she said on February 6, zooming in on the yellow-wrapped condoms stamped with the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic logos.
The practice of providing free condoms at the Olympics dates back to the 1988 Seoul Games, aimed at promoting awareness of sexually transmitted disease prevention among athletes and young people. Attilio Fontana, governor of Italy’s Lombardy region, emphasized the importance of this health measure in a Facebook post on February 8.
“Yes, we provide free condoms to athletes in the Olympic village,” Fontana wrote. “If this seems strange to some, they’re unaware of the established Olympic practice. It began in Seoul 1988 to raise awareness among athletes and young people about sexually transmitted disease prevention — a topic that shouldn’t cause embarrassment. From a healthcare perspective, the Lombardy Region is fully committed to ensuring that international athletes and teams receive the best possible care during these weeks.”
The organizing committee confirmed that condom availability will continue throughout the Games to meet the ongoing needs of athletes.
