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Condoms hottest item at Asian Games
  • | AFP | September 18, 2014 05:30 PM

Athletes are snapping up thousands of free condoms being given out at the Asian Games, organizers said Thursday.
Athletes are snapping up thousands of free condoms being given out at the Asian Games, organizers say
Athletes are snapping up thousands of free condoms being given out at the Asian Games, organizers say (AFP Photo/Brendan Smialowski)

"We've been handing out condoms over the past three days but their daily ration of 5,000 runs out quickly every day," Choi Hyeung-Dae, a games organising committee official told AFP.

"But this does not mean that athletes have already been engaged in bed-hopping. I think most of them just want to keep them as souvenirs", he said.

The condoms are in yellow, opaque wrappers with the games emblem emblazoned on them and some athletes may believe they are badges or other mementos, he added.

The Incheon Asian Games, with about 10,000 athletes from 45 countries taking part, start on Friday. Choi said organisers expect to hand out about 100,000 condoms up until October 3, the day before the event closes.

Condoms are regularly handed out to athletes at major sporting events. About 8,500 condoms were given when Seoul hosted the 1988 Olympics.

The number rose to 50,000 at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and 150,000 at the 2012 London Olympics.

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