The Athletes Village at the Olympics is often a site of parties and hookups. These things were not allowed in Tokyo as the covid restrictions were prevailing at the time.
But this time, it’s different as the Games are being held in the City of Love. It was reported that the organisers would make available 300,000 condoms to the residents of the village. But things took a 180 degree turn when the beds were reported to be smaller in size and made from materials that could restrict them from having sex during the competition.
Unconventional Design
The mattresses of the beds are twin sized, meaning there isn’t enough space for competitors to cuddle up together. Another fact is that the manufacturer of these beds is the Japanese Company Airwave, the same company that provided the beds during the Tokyo 2024 Olympic Games.
The unconventional frames of the beds drew a lot of comments from the athletes. American distance runner Paul Chelimo during the Tokyo Olympics had said on X that these mattresses were put in place to prevent athletes from having sex during the Games.
Besides Paul, another olympic athlete, gold medallist US Women Football Goalkeeper Hope Solo in 2008 spoke about the matter as “There’s a lot of sex going on.” At the 2000 Sydney games, 70,000 condoms were not enough and the authorities had to order 20,000 more in the second lot keeping an order of 100,000 more on standby.
Sustainability the reason behind the unique design
The Paris Olympics authorities have said that sustainability is the primary reason for adopting these beds. The mattresses and cardboard frames are 100 percent recyclable with the bed bases from recycled cardboard.
The spokesman of Paris Games 2024 said in a statement, “We know that the media has had a lot of fun since Tokyo 2020, but for Paris 2024 the choice of these beds for the Olympic and Paralympics Village is linked to a wider ambition to ensure minimal environmental impact and a second life to all equipment.”
Athletes Statements
Irish gymnast Rhys McClenaghan had also referred to antisex claims as fake news. He demonstrated the durability of the beds by jumping on it in a video that he shared on X.
“The beds are meant to be “anti sex”, They are made out of cardboard, yes, and apparently they’re meant to break at any sudden movement…it’s fake! Fake news,” he went on to say.
The official Olympics account reposted the video adding, “Thanks for debunking the myth.”
