ATHENS, August 12, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The World Congress of Families called the planned distribution of 130,000 free condoms to athletes at the Olympic Games in Greece “a pathetic publicity ploy that contradicts the spirit of the Games,” and chided Olympic officials for accepting the prophylactics. Durex, a condom manufacturer, recently announced that it will provide the devices to the 17,000 athletes and officials at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, August 13-29. The company is also donating 30,000 packets of lubricant to (as it leeringly explains) “smooth the performance of the world’s elite sports people in the arena and under the covers.”“Once, the Olympics stood for self-discipline and morality,” said Alan Carlson, founder of the World Congress of Families. “The planned condom distribution is a repudiation of that proud tradition.”
The 1981 film “Chariots of Fire” offered a very different Olympics from the upcoming Durex Games.
Loosely based on the 1924 Paris Olympics, it told the story of Christian athlete Eric Liddell, who refused to compete on the Sabbath. Carlson commented, “In the film, athletic prowess was a natural extension of strength of character – reflected in Liddell’s integrity. The condom-giveaway is a sad reminder of how far we have come.”
The more than 3,300 delegates to the World Congress of Families III (held in Mexico City, March 29-31, 2004), representing family groups in over 70 countries, adopted a declaration that reads in part: “Sexuality exists for the expression of love between husband and wife and for the procreation of children in marriage.” – rather than the “smooth performance…under the covers” of Durex and today’s IOC.
See the World Congress website: www.worldcongress.org See the Toronto Star coverage: https://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1092175812165&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154
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