Why Condoms Are Getting Gold At The Paris Olympics

Hold onto your sports bras! The Paris Olympics are gearing up for some serious action, and we're not just talking about the 100-metre dash. After Tokyo's intimacy drought, Paris is bringing sexy back with a vengeance… and the real heavy lifting is happening in the contraceptive department. Paris’ Olympic organisers are flexing their safe sex muscles with a whopping order of:

- 200,000 condoms 

- 20,000 female condoms 

- 10,000 dental dams 

With 14,500 athletes and staff expected to attend the competition in the French capital, that's about 15 condoms per person over the course of 16 days. Which has us thinking, which athletes will be bringing home the gold for safe sex? 

A Brief History of Olympic Hanky-Panky

This isn't the first time the Olympics have gotten frisky. The Olympic Village is notorious for being a place of hedonism where the world’s best athletes, in their physical prime, get down and dirty. Rio 2016 took the cake (or should we say, took the condom?) with a staggering 450,000 contraceptives on offer. 

Even Tokyo, despite its "no-sex" policy, couldn't resist handing out 160,000 condoms as "souvenirs." Because nothing says "I competed in the Olympics" like a commemorative condom. 

The Great Bedgate of Tokyo 2020

Remember the "anti-sex" cardboard beds provided for athletes in Tokyo? Social media went wild with speculation that they were intentionally designed to collapse under any vigorous activity. As amusing as it is to imagine the Olympics committee planning and ordering thousands of flimsy beds in order to discourage any sexual activity, the whole thing was a complete fabrication. Turns out, they were just eco-friendly. The beds could support up to 440lb in weight and were reportedly sturdier than wood. Irish gymnast, Rhys McClenaghan, posted a video showing himself jumping repeatedly on his cardboard bed to debunk the ‘anti-sex’ bed rumours. So it’s safe to say, cardboard beds did not get in the way of the Olympians getting jiggy with it. 

Female Condoms: The Dark Horse of Contraception

While male condoms are the Usain Bolt of birth control, female condoms are the equivalent of that obscure sport you've never heard of but suddenly find yourself obsessed with during the Olympics. Many people didn’t even realise internal condoms, designed to be inserted in the vagina or anus pre-penetrative sex, were even in the game. In fact, usage of female condoms in the UK is, well, very minimal to say the least. Reports show that less than 0.1% of the female population in the UK use female condoms. With such a low percentage of the population using Femidoms (as they’re sometimes known), it’s certainly an interesting tactic for Paris to order so many for its visiting athletes and crew. At least they can say they’ve got a smorgasbord of contraception, whether you’re bringing home gold, silver or bronze in bed…

Safety First, Medals Second

While we're all for celebrating peak physical performance, let's not forget the importance of safe sex. These athletes have trained their whole lives for this moment, often giving up sex before their big race and deserve to let off a little steam. The last thing they need is an unexpected souvenir nine months later (or a nasty STI that burns more than the Olympic Flame)…

As the world tunes in to watch incredible feats of athleticism, just remember that some of the most impressive performances might be happening behind closed doors. And thanks to the organisers' foresight, these athletes can focus on breaking records, not condoms.

Want More? 

• Fancy yourself an Olympian between the sheets? Try our ultra-thin, vegan condoms. 
• Want to support your sex drive? Introducing HANX Libido Lift, our first ever natural supplement to support libido in women. 
• Mixed Doubles, Anyone? Why Getting Sporty Can Boost Your Libido.