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Fresh condom supplies promised for Winter Olympics athletes

Fireworks illuminated around Olympic Rings at San Siro Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games Milano-Cortina 2026. Michael Kappeler/dpa
Fireworks illuminated around Olympic Rings at San Siro Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games Milano-Cortina 2026. Michael Kappeler/dpa

Olympic organizers have promised new supplies of free condoms for athletes at the Milan/Cortina Winter Games after they ran out.

"We can confirm that the supply of condoms in the Olympic villages was temporarily exhausted because demand was higher than expected," the organizing committee told dpa.

"They will be continuously replenished until the end of the Games to ensure that they are always available."

Italian paper La Stampa reported earlier in the week that supplies had run out in the athletes village in Cortina d'Ampezzo.

The Milan/Cortina Games run until February 22. Free condoms at the Games were introduced in 1988, and around 300,000 were made available at the last summer edition 2024, with the condoms also a popular souvenir for athletes.

According to International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams, the Milan/Cortina figure is much lower.

"I think 10,000 have been used, 2,800 athletes β€” you can go figure, as they say," he said on Saturday, adding "It clearly shows that Valentine’s Day is in full swing in the village."

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