Winter Olympics 2026: The Olympic Village at the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Games has drawn attention for reasons far beyond sports. Just three days after the Games began, athletes had already used up all 10,000 free condoms provided by organisers, forcing officials to arrange a fresh supply.
The Winter Olympics are scheduled to last 17 days, and planners believed the initial stock would be enough. However, the speed at which the condoms disappeared has surprised organisers and amused people online.
Condoms Gone in Three Days, Athlete Confirms Shortage
Italian newspaper La Stampa reported that the Olympic Village ran out of condoms within the first 72 hours. What caught everyone’s attention was not the distribution itself, but how quickly the supplies vanished.
“The supplies ran out in just three days. They promised us more will arrive, but who knows when,” an athlete told the newspaper.
Nearly 2,900 Athletes Living Together at Milan Cortina Games
Around 2,900 athletes from 92 countries are competing across 116 events at the 2026 Winter Olympics. This edition also marks a milestone, with women making up 47% of all competitors the highest percentage in Winter Games history.
With so many athletes living together in close quarters, the Olympic Village has long been known as a social hotspot alongside intense competition.
Forbes Explains the Math Behind the Condom Shortage
A Forbes report broke down how the shortage may have happened so quickly. Based on participation numbers, roughly 1,500 male athletes may have required condoms.
If usage was evenly spread, each athlete would have used about 6.67 condoms rounded to seven over three days. That works out to at least two condoms per day per person, enough to exhaust the entire supply in a short span.
Organisers Face Challenge of Restocking Condoms Mid-Games
With more than two weeks of competition still remaining, organisers now face the challenge of restocking condoms quickly. Given the pace of use, officials may need to significantly increase future estimates to avoid another shortage.
Social Media Reacts to Olympic Village Condom Shortage
The incident quickly went viral, with social media users comparing the Olympic Village to a college dormitory.
“Winter Olympic tournament or winter sex Olympic?” one user joked.
Some users tried to explain the surge. “Did they just suddenly got extremely horny or the winter pushed them to burn some calories or it’s just the valentine vibes??” one asked.
Several users highlighted that condom distribution is also about safety and health. “The condom distribution is also about public health when you’ve got people from all over the world in one place,” a user noted.
Another added, “They know what they came there for and they are winning, at least they are protected.”
While the story has sparked humour online, it also reflects a long-standing reality of the Olympic Games thousands of young, elite athletes living together, balancing pressure, performance, and personal life inside the Olympic Village.
