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Fun and games for Welsh athletes Jan 22 2006

Matt Withers, Wales on Sunday

WELSH athletes heading Down Under for the Commonwealth Games WILL be permitted sex during the event - and will even be given 10 condoms each.

The team will also have no curfew at nights, although booze will be banned during the 11-day stay in Melbourne in March.

Around 4,500 athletes have signed agreements that they will not behave in a way "which brings their teams, sport or country into disrepute".

But Games organisers say cavorting with fellow athletes or officials is OK - provided people are discreet and practise safe sex.

Elite Welsh athletes David Davies, Iwan Thomas and Tracey Morris, along with every other athlete, will be handed 10 condoms each - provided by organisers and paid for by the Australian taxpayer.

And Welsh bosses confirmed they would not be slapping a sex ban on their athletes.

"We haven't got a strict ruling to say there shouldn't be any sexual relations between athletes," said spokeswoman Lynette Evans. "But team managers for the individual sports might have different rules in place."

Condom supplier Ansell says it predicts athletes and officials could have sex an average of 10 times over the 11-day event. It also supplied condoms for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

Vice-president Burton Van Rooyen said: "We initially supplied 50,000 condoms for the athlete's village in Sydney in 2000. However, 30,000 additional condoms were requested during games time.

"We won't be bringing out a commemorative condom to mark the event. We hope every one will be memorable."

Games chief Perry Crosswhite doesn't expect the Games to be a hotbed of sex because of the lack of opportunity and privacy in the packed Village.

"The last thing we want is an unruly village," he said. "I don't expect any problems. People have respect for their team and for teams from other countries."

Drinking will be forbidden in the Games village although a pub-style licensed lounge will be open in the international zone next door. The Games run from March 15-26.