Discovering the advantages of international love, volunteering to try out one of the more than 100,000 condoms being handed out in the Village, or simply out to party is part of the Olympic experience.

Near the end of the Games, The Olympic Village in Beijing was divided into two clearly-distinguishable classes – those who had already competed and those who had not.

The first group put growing pressure on the second, as those yet to compete see the Village lose its main focus on sport to become an explosive mix of hormones.

"You see more and more couples, there is a lot of hooking up. And it is the mix of races that many people are looking for," a Mexican volleyball player, already out of the competition, told IANS. "And with the Russian, Czech and Slovak specimens you see, the material is unbeatable."

In the time it is open, the Olympic Village houses some 16,000 athletes and coaches from every corner of the world. Young and strong men and women, full of energy, who arrived in Beijing looking for a success that only a few can obtain.

However, other achievements are possible.

"You have 16,000 athletes in the Village, and it is very likely that some boys will like some girls and that, in turn, will lead to sex," said Dutch baseballer Jeroen Sluitjer, 33. "And if there are free condoms going around, people will feel like using them."

The story about athletes and free condoms has been recurring since Barcelona 1992, when they were first handed out in a campaign against AIDS.

Eight years later, some 100,000 condoms were available in the Village in Beijing.

According to British rower Matthew Pinsent, the atmosphere in the Village is "intoxicating," with "thousands of sportsmen at the peak of their strength."

However, Pinsent made a call for restraint.

"Wait till you have a medal round your neck," he told his team-mates.

-IANS