Organisers of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics are scrambling to replenish supplies after 10,000 free condoms ran out within the first 72 hours of the Games.
The rapid depletion left dispensers empty across the athlete villages in Milan and Cortina just as Valentine’s Day festivities began, according to the New York Times.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesperson Mark Adams addressed the shortage with a smile during a press conference on Saturday, noting that demand had far exceeded expectations.
“Clearly, this shows Valentine’s Day is in full swing at the village,” Adams said. “Ten thousand have been used for 2,800 athletes, you can go figure, as they say. It is rule 62 of the Olympic Charter that we have to have a condom story. Faster, higher, stronger, together.”
The shortage has left athletes in the Olympic Village searching for alternatives and officials scrambling to restock.
An anonymous athlete told the Italian newspaper La Stampa that supplies vanished almost immediately after the opening ceremony.
“The supplies sold out in just three days,” the athlete said. “They promised us more will arrive, but who knows when.”
Officials have assured athletes that new shipments are on the way, though no specific delivery date has been confirmed.
The shortage highlights a significant disparity in distribution compared to previous Games.
In contrast to the 10,000 provided in Milan, organisers of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics distributed 300,000 condoms, roughly two per athlete per day.
The record remains the 2016 Rio Games, where 450,000 were supplied.
While the Winter Games have fewer competitors, approximately 3,000 compared to over 10,000 in Paris, the 2026 allotment provides only about 3.3 condoms per athlete for the entire event.
The tradition of providing free contraceptives began at the 1988 Seoul Olympics to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS.