The Olympic Village in Paris to give away 300,000 condoms to athletes

Paris is the city of love, even when it comes to sports. That's why, on the occasion of the 2024 Olympics, a whopping 300,000 condoms will be distributed to competing athletes, reviving an old tradition following the 2020 Tokyo restrictions, just months after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. In an interview with Sky News, the director of the Olympic Village, Laurent Michaud, revealed that participants in the new edition will be provided with an average of over two condoms per day, as he explained, «it's very important that conviviality here is something great». Four years ago, athletes were instructed to stay more than two meters apart from each other, so the supply of condoms that had been prepared for the event remained unused.

Before intimacy restrictions were imposed, the distribution of condoms at the Olympics was an integral part of ceremonial traditions. They were first distributed at the 1988 Seoul edition, when the threat of HIV and AIDS had shaken the world and motivated organizers to raise awareness among athletes and the public on the topic. «Working with the athlete's commission, we wanted to create places where athletes would feel excited and comfortable», added the director of the Olympic Village. In addition to supporting the physical commitments of professionals outside of competition, Michaud stated that the space hosting them this summer will also offer 350 meters of buffet with foods from around the world, but with a special focus on French specialties. The entire event will involve the largest expenditure ever in the history of the Olympic Games, totaling around 2 billion euros. The next edition promises to be a decisive event in the history of the Olympics, as it not only marks a return to normalcy after the Pandemic that halted the world in 2020 but also a moment of unity for all nations in a period plagued by wars and conflicts. With the hope that the 300,000 condoms lighten the burden of this responsibility for the 14,000 competing athletes.