Tokyo Olympics: Take your condoms home as social distancing is norm in Athletes Village

Athletes have been told to keep their distance from each other, meaning fewer opportunities to mingle and more at the Tokyo Olympics.

Tokyo Olympic organisers plan to give away about 150,000 condoms at next month’s Games, but are telling athletes to take them home rather than use them in the Olympic village where social distancing rules and coronavirus measures are the top priority. Large numbers of condoms have been given out at the Games since the 1988 Seoul Olympics to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS, and organisers said the International Olympic Committee had requested their continued distribution. But athletes have been told to keep their distance from each other, meaning fewer opportunities to mingle and more. “The distribution of condoms is not for use at the athlete’s village, but to have athletes take them back to their home countries to raise awareness” of HIV and AIDS issues, said Tokyo 2020 in an emailed response to questions by news agency Reuters. Officials have already barred overseas spectators and are asking those who do attend the delayed event to show their support by clapping rather than cheering or singing to try and reduce the risk of spreading the virus. Dining has become another issue to resolve. Organisers were originally planning to feed residents of the village in vast dining halls – the largest one with a capacity to seat 4,500 people at once.