Share

Condoms break Olympic rules

London - Don’t mess with the official condom of the 2012 London Olympics.

That’s essentially the message being sent by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), after a bucket of unauthorised condoms was discovered in the Olympic Village.

According to the FoxSports website, Condom-gate came to light when Australian BMX cyclist Caroline Buchanan posted a photo of the bucket on her Twitter account, according to The Guardian newspaper.

The bucket was adorned with a sign bearing the message, “Kangaroos condoms, for the gland downunder," and a photo of a boxing kangaroo.

Organisers of the London Games, following a tradition started in Barcelona in 1992 and backed by the IOC, placed 150 000 free Durex condoms in dispensers for the more than 10 000 athletes competing. Durex paid for the right to supply the condoms.

LOCOG officials are trying to determine how the Kangaroo condoms got into the athletes village, a spokesperson told The Guardian. The condoms apparently came from Durex rivals Ansell Ltd., an Australian company, and Pasante, a private British firm.

The number of condoms supplied at London broke the record of 100 000 offered in Beijing four years ago. Organisers of the 2000 Sydney Games had to pull out an additional 20 000 condoms after the athletes worked their way through the initial allocation of 70 000.
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1472 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2250 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE