Keeping Warm in the Cold? Condom Shortage Hits Winter Olympics as 17-Day Stock Runs Out in 3 Days

The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics has generated headlines for an unexpected reason: the Olympic Village has reportedly run out of its initial supply of condoms just three days into the event.

Organisers had provided 10,000 free condoms for the approximately 2,900 athletes, a stock they believed would be sufficient for the 17-day competition. However, the entire supply was depleted within the first 72 hours, prompting officials to scramble for an emergency restock.

The Italian newspaper La Stampa first reported on the shortage, noting that the rapid disappearance of the condoms caught many by surprise. "The supplies ran out in just three days," an unnamed athlete told the publication. "They promised us more will arrive, but who knows when."

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The 2026 Games feature athletes from 92 nations, including one from Kenya, competing in 116 events. This edition is also a landmark for gender parity, with women comprising 47% of competitors—the highest proportion in Winter Olympics history.

While the Olympic Village is the hub for elite athletic competition, it has also long been recognised as a vibrant social environment where athletes from around the globe interact. A Forbes analysis attempted to explain the rapid depletion, suggesting that if the roughly 1,500 male athletes were the primary users, each would have used an average of nearly seven condoms in three days, or more than two per day.

With over two weeks of the Games remaining, organisers are now tasked with replenishing the supply to meet the unexpectedly high demand. The incident suggests that future planning may require a significant increase in provisions.

The news quickly spread across social media, where users reacted with a mix of humour and practical observations. Some jokingly compared the atmosphere to a university dorm, with one user asking, "Winter Olympic tournament or winter sex Olympic?"

Others pointed to the public health aspect of the initiative. "The condom distribution is also about public health when you’ve got people from all over the world in one place," one user commented, highlighting the importance of promoting safe sex.

While the shortage has become a light-hearted story, it underscores the unique dynamic of the Olympic Games, where thousands of young, top-tier athletes navigate the pressures of competition and their personal lives in a shared, high-energy environment.