Free Condoms For Yog Officials And Athletes

[therat 18]

http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/07/28/fr...s-and-athletes/

Free condoms will be distributed to officials and athletes of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) at the medical clinic of the Youth Olympic Village (YOV).

The bizarre move was agreed upon after discussion between the Singapore YOG Organizing Committee and the International Olympic Committee with UNAIDS providing the condoms whose brand is not revealed.

“We have to be mindful that the athletes coming to the Youth Olympic Games are minors and in accordance to Singapore’s law, the age of consent for sexual activity is 16 and allowing free distribution of condoms within the Youth Olympic Village may be misconstrued by the young athletes,” the organizers were quoted saying in Channel News Asia.

It is not known why the condoms are still being distributed to the young athletes when they may lead to indirect promotion of promiscuous sexual behavior. It is also not mentioned if the condoms are reserved for YOG athletes only or freely available to all Singaporeans as well.

There were earlier reports of Singapore volunteers being sexually harassed by the visiting YOG delegates last year who pestered them to spend the night together in their hotel rooms.

The YOG has drawn much flak from Singaporeans lately for its excesses. It has already exceeded its original budget by more than twice to shocking $387 million dollars. Many Singaporeans feel that the money can be put to better use by helping the poor and needy. A Facebook group has been set up calling on Singaporeans to boycott the YOG here.

In contrast, the PAP allocated only $92 million to the ComCare and Social Support Programme for needy Singaporeans in 2010. When asked to increase the monthly allowance for Public Aid (PA) recipients in 2007, PAP Minister for Community, Youth and Sports Dr Vivian Balakrishnan retorted:

“How much do you want? Do you want three meals a day at a hawker center, food court or restaurant?”

Despite the extensive media publicity given to YOG, the response from Singaporeans has been lukewarm so far, prompting PAP MP Zainudin Nordin to admit that “more support” is needed from Singaporeans.

“It is now about coming to action, coming to converge at the Olympic venue to support our athletes and also for us to show how much we are interested in sports and promote the sporting culture in Singapore, not just for the Youth Olympic Games spirit also the future of Singapore,” he was quoted as saying in TODAY.

Besides distributing free condoms, the organizers may consider sending experts to teach the youth basic sex education and techniques and to provide on the spot HIV testing at the clinic.

A study may also be conducted to see if there is a spike in Sexually Transmitted Diseases at NTU after the YOG.