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Reuters, MILAN, Italy
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Athletes at the Milano Cortina Winter Games seem to have embraced Valentine’s week with their trademark Olympic intensity, racing through their free condom supply to leave dispensers empty before the big day itself.
About 10,000 prophylactics were distributed across the city and mountain accommodation sites by organizers, continuing a longstanding Olympic practice aimed at promoting safe relationships among mostly young, healthy and energetic competitors living in close quarters.
By Saturday the stock had run out, with just more than a week of the sporting bonanza still to go, adding Milan to a long list of Games where demand has comfortably outstripped supply, a now almost routine Olympic subplot.
People stand outside the Porta Romana Olympic Village in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 7.
Photo: Bloomberg
“Clearly this shows Valentine’s Day is in full swing at the village,” International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams told a news conference. “Ten thousand have been used — 2,800 athletes — you can go figure, as they say.”
“It is rule 62 of the Olympic Charter that we have to have a condoms story. Faster, higher, stronger, together,” Adams joked.
Milano Cortina organizers later conceded stocks had been depleted by “higher-than-anticipated demand,” but said they were in the process of restocking.
“Additional supplies are being delivered and will be distributed across all Villages between today and Monday,” they said in a statement. “They will be continuously replenished until the end of the Games to ensure continued availability.”
While athletes are provided with free condoms at every Games, the rush in Milan has left even the athletes themselves stunned.
“I just saw that this morning. I was, like, shocked as everyone else,” Mexican figure skater Donovan Carrillo said.
Mialitiana Clerc, an alpine skier representing Madagascar, said there was nothing left in her accommodation.
“There were a lot of boxes at the entrance of every building where we were staying and every day, everything had gone from the box,” Clerc said. “I already know that a lot of people are using condoms, or giving them to their friends outside of the Olympics because it’s a kind of gift for them.”
