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The ongoing Winter Olympics reportedly ran out of nearly 10,000 free condoms within three days, per La Stampa. Supplies were far lower than the Paris Olympics 2024 allocation. Lombardy governor Attilio Fontana defended the initiative, noting condom distribution has been standard since the Seoul 1988 Olympics to promote STI awareness among athletes.

The ongoing Winter Olympics have reportedly run out of free condom supplies within only three days, drawing attention to the demand inside the Olympic Village. According to Italian newspaper La Stampa, nearly 10,000 condoms distributed to athletes were quickly exhausted soon after the Games began.

An anonymous competitor told the publication that the supplies disappeared rapidly and although organisers had promised more would arrive, there was uncertainty about the timeline.

The report also criticised the allocation, suggesting that organisers had not been particularly generous with the numbers this year. In comparison, athletes at the Paris Olympics 2024 reportedly received around 300,000 condoms, roughly two each athlete per day, while the Winter Games were provided with fewer than 10,000 units in total.

Participation levels also differ significantly between the two events. Just under 3,000 athletes are competing in the Winter Olympics, compared to approximately 10,500 athletes who took part in the Paris Summer Games two years ago. Despite the smaller number of participants, the supplies still ran out quickly, highlighting strong demand.

Meanwhile, Lombardy governor Attilio Fontana addressed the topic publicly, stating that this should not be considered embarrassing. He emphasised that it has been a long-standing Olympic practice since the Seoul 1988 Olympics, when the initiative was introduced to promote awareness about sexually transmitted disease prevention among athletes and young people.

This is not the first time Olympic organisers have faced such a situation. During the Sydney 2000 Olympics, officials had to order an additional 20,000 condoms after the initial stock of 70,000 was completely used up by participants.