Organisers distribute thousands of condoms to athletes despite sex ban

There's going to be a whole lot of sport at the Olympics but one that is banned in Tokyo is the time honoured tradition of horizontal bedroom gymnastics.

Yet despite sex being frowned upon in the Olympic village, organisers are set to distribute 160,000 condoms to competitors.

That's 14 condoms per competitor which, apparently, no one is expected to use.

The Tokyo Olympics will run from July 23 to August 8 after being delayed for a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Earlier this year, organisers released a raft of new guidelines designed to help prevent the spread of covid.

These rules included limiting physical contact such as kissing and hugging, singing and dancing. Sexual relations was also on the red list.

"These games in many respects will be different," Olympic Games Operations Director Pierre Ducrey said in February, reported Reuters.

"There will be a number of constraints and conditions that the participants will have to respect and follow, which will have an impact on their experience, particularly when it comes to social aspects."

However, it has now emerged that prophylactics will be part of every competitor's welcome pack upon arrival in Tokyo next month.

According to The Sun, each participant will receive around 14 condoms each, as well as a 33-page guide book on social distancing rules, urging them to "avoid physical contact, including hugs and handshakes".

The International Olympic Committee defended the move, saying: "Our intent and goal is not for athletes to use the condoms at the Olympic village but to help with awareness by taking them back to their own countries."

However, it's likely it's also a common sense move as the organisers realise that as much as they may try and encourage abstinence between competitors, humans being humans, it's almost inevitable that in some cases sex is going to happen.