Free condoms distributed to athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics have reportedly run out after just three days, according to Italian newspaper La Stampa.
The contraceptives, branded with the Olympic logo, were made available to competitors at the athletes’ village in Cortina d’Ampezzo. However, one athlete, who spoke anonymously, said supplies were exhausted within a short period.
“They told us more would arrive, but no one knows when,” the athlete was quoted as saying.
The tradition of providing free condoms to Olympians dates back to the 1988 Summer Olympics, when organizers introduced the initiative to promote awareness of sexually transmitted diseases.
La Stampa noted that the distribution at this year’s Winter Games was significantly lower than at the 2024 Summer Olympics, where about 300,000 condoms were reportedly provided to athletes averaging two per person per day. By contrast, fewer than 10,000 were made available for the current Winter Games.
Nearly 3,000 athletes are competing in Italy, compared with more than 10,500 who took part in the Paris Games two years ago.
Despite the shortage, athletes at the Olympic village still have access to recreational facilities, including table football, air hockey, and a piano, organizers said.
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