More safe sex please...we are Olympic athletes - 27.02.10

Photography – BigA888

Winter Games athletes seem to have ditched the theory of no sex before they compete for medals.

In response to this change in attitude, an additional 8500 condoms made up an “emergency airlift” to the Olympic Villages in Vancouver and Whistler for the athletes.

The Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research provided the original shipment of 100,000 – that’s around 14 condoms per visiting athlete (compared to around 8 condoms per athlete in Sydney in 2000, the same number in Athens in 2004 and around 6 in Beijing 2008) however, in 2010 this still wasn’t quite enough. In a similar scenario, Sydney authorities initially distributed 70,000 condoms to athletes but an additional 20,000 were ordered to meet demand.

Foundation executive director Kerry Whiteside told The Kingston Whig Standard: "when we heard about the condom shortage in Vancouver, we felt it important to respond immediately. Safer sex is key to preventing the spread of the HIV virus."

The demand for condoms at the Vancouver Games is in stark contrast to Beijing. Last fall, a collector auctioned 5000 condoms that were left over from the 2008 Summer Games.

Free condoms have been distributed at the Olympics since the 1992 games in Barcelona.

Photography - Iwona Kellie

(Originally reported by ANI)

Unregulated fights leave fighters at risk of HIV and hepatitis - 28.02.10

Photography – icantu

A Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Bill was last week passed in Iowa’s State Senate. The bill to amend Iowa’s law will now be put before the Iowa House. Unlike most other US states where officials or third party sanctioning bodies oversee regulation, Iowa (along with 15 other states) does not regulate amateur MMA fights.

Unregulated fights don’t require blood tests, leaving fighters vulnerable to catch a disease if an opponent with HIV or hepatitis gets cut and blood flies.

The proposed rules for amateur MMA fights would include:

HEALTH: Fighters would have to get tests for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C every six months. If they test positive, they could not fight. Fighters would need a physical at least 90 days before a fight.

MEDICAL CARE: A doctor would need to be present at events to check fighters before and after each bout.

Should Iowa clean up MMA fighting? Read the full story here.
(Originally reported www.demoinesregister.com)