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Used condoms clog Delhi CWG athletes' village toilets

New Delhi, Oct 7 : Thousands of used condoms have reportedly clogged the drains of the Delhi Commonwealth Games accommodation towers at the athletes' village after being flushed down toilets by competitors.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the condoms were discovered when plumbers were called in to clear the toilets after athletes complained about the blockages.

Condoms, being supplied free at the Games Village, are not biodegradable waste because of which they can choke toilets.

A large condom vending machine has been installed at the village, which contains at least 4000 contraceptive packs.

Officials have said that over half the condoms had already been taken.

Meanwhile, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials said that the civic agency was not responsible for the management of the waste generated inside the Village.

"We are not dealing with the garbage inside the Games Village towers. We haven't analysed the exact proportion of degradable and non-degradable garbage. It will be done after the Games," MCD's Public Relations officer Deep Mathur said.

Condoms blocking toilets in the Games Village might have come in for some embarrassment but the Commonwealth Games Federation boss Michael Fennell termed it a "positive" story saying that athletes are responsible in promoting safe sex.

While sex is not a 2010 CWG sport, it seems to be an activity in the Games Village at Akshardham housing more than 7,000 athletes, all of whom are in great shape and with plenty of free time at their disposal once knocked out of their respective events.

Asked about the embarrassing scenes of condoms blocking toilets at the Games Village, the CGF president said: "If that is happening, it shows there is use of condoms and I think that is a very positive story, that athletes are being responsible."

"This issue was controversial some years back but not now. Promoting safe sex is a responsible thing to do," he said.

Incidentally, athletes received free condoms at every Games Village since Barcelona in 1992 to help raise awareness about AIDS, and in Beijing 2008 it notched up a record with a whopping 100,000 condoms being distributed.