Every Olympic Games has its strange headlines, but the 2026 Winter Olympics stood out differently, as curiosity about one story lingers. In the Olympic Village, about 2,800 athletes received about 10,000 free condoms. However, within just three days, the supply ran out, leading to a shortage, and organizers had to restock it. Soon after, the situation went viral online after the official explanation, leading to jokes and assumptions. And now, three months later, Ilona Maher debunked the rumors and explained what might have actually caused the shortage.

Paris Olympics Bronze medalist, Maher, addressed the viral rumors in an Instagram post. “These past Winter Olympics, there was a rumor that over 10,000 condoms were used.” She then added, “Now, some were probably used for that purpose, but I’m here to tell you a lot of them were used as souvenirs.”

She went on to explain how Olympic Village culture often gets misunderstood from the outside. “When I went to the Olympics, I went and grabbed a handful, and now I have them forever,” she said. Maher even shared a personal moment from her own experience. “I was on my bedside table the other day, and I found a condom from Tokyo. How cool is that?” and even showed it during her post.

To wrap up her point, she said, “So that’s really the reason, guys. OK. They were probably doing a little bit in there, but these are just around for us.” Her comments came after IOC officials clarified that the initial supply was simply depleted due to higher-than-expected demand and later restocked.

Mark Adams, the IOC spokesperson during the Olympics, linked the shortage to Valentine’s Day and believed that the athletes truly used them for their intended purpose. “Shows that Valentine’s Day is in full swing in the village, and I don’t think I can add very much more to that,” Adams said on Saturday, Feb. 14. He added, “I think 10,000 [condoms] have been used. So 2,800 athletes, you can go figure, as they say.”

In fact, the concept of having condoms at the Olympics is not new at all. Free condoms have been part of Olympic Villages since the 1988 Seoul Olympics, introduced as part of health awareness for athletes living together for weeks during competition. Moreover, the numbers change depending on the Games. For example, at the 2024 Paris Olympics, around 300,000 condoms were distributed due to a much larger athlete population of 10,500 athletes.

Maher’s take now debunks the myth that was supposedly started by Adams’ explanation. She was not alone in voicing her opinion on this subject. Madagascar alpine skier Mialitiana Clerc said, “I know that at the Winter Olympics a lot of people use condoms,” she said. Additionally, she explained, “I saw it in Beijing as well. There were some boxes at the entrance of every building where we were staying, and everything was gone from them,” she added.

She added, “I already know a lot of people are using some condoms, or maybe taking them to give to their friends outside the Olympics. Maybe they are using them as gifts, just for fans.”

The condom story wasn’t the only 2026 Winter Olympics rumour. The 2026 Winter Olympics also had another unusual rumour that spread online and caught global attention.

Ski jumping ski suit controversy explained

One of the most talked rumour started with a report from German tabloid Bild, which suggested that some male ski jumpers might try to manipulate ski suit measurements using extreme methods, including claims about hyaluronic acid injections in the groin area. The idea was linked to how ski jumping suits are strictly regulated and checked through 3D body scans to ensure fairness and aerodynamic balance.

From there, the story spread quickly across sports media and social platforms. It soon picked up the nickname “P**isgate” and became a viral talking point during the Olympic period, even though there was no evidence to support it.

Officials were quick to respond and shut down the claims. “This wild rumor started a few weeks ago from pure hearsay,” FIS spokesman Bruno Sassi told The Associated Press. “There has never been any indication, let alone evidence, that any competitor has ever made use of a hyaluronic acid injection to attempt to gain a competitive advantage.”

Similarly, the World Anti-Doping Agency also said there was nothing to back the claims. WADA director general Olivier Niggli said, “I’m not aware of the details of ski jumping, and how this can improve performance, but if anything was to come to the surface, we would look at anything if it is actually doping related.”